Persicaria amplexicaulis Vesuvius - Mountain Fleece

The Persicaria amplexicaulis Vesuvius is a variety of knotweed selected for its beautiful red colours, both the intense and dark flowering and the more purplish colour that invades its foliage at the end of the season. This beautiful perennial offers a long flowering period from summer to autumn. Very hardy, it forms a vigorous clump, both tall and dense, which has a striking effect in flower beds or near water features. It is a robust plant, not picky about soil type, as long as it is moist, fertile, and well-drained, and can be placed in full sun or partial shade.

The Persicaria amplexicaulis Vesuvius is a plant of the Polygonaceae family. It is a more or less evergreen perennial in winter, depending on the climate, which quickly forms a clump 1 meter (3 feet) tall. This plant spreads more or less slowly, depending on the soil richness, and can form imposing clumps. Very floriferous, this knotweed produces numerous spikes, 7 to 10 cm (3 to 4in) long, slender, composed of small dark red flowers at the axil of the leaves located at the end of the stems. The flowering is continuous throughout summer, from July to October, if the soil doesn't dry out too much. The leaves, borne by sturdy stems, are lanceolate to cordate in shape, measuring 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10in) long, and embracing at the base. They are medium to dark green in colour, hairy on the underside, and turn red in autumn.

The knotweed fits well in both contemporary gardens and wilder environments, and forms beautiful autumn scenes with grasses. Thanks to its spreading habit, it can be used as a ground cover, as long as it is given sufficient space. This perennial enjoys full sun as well as partial shade. It thrives in rich and heavy soils, moist or even very wet, and can be grown independently on sunny pond banks or in cool and partially shaded understory at the base of trees. Its association with Rodgersias and bugbanes is also very pleasant.