The Plant Guide

Browse the Full Plant Guide

Giant fleeceflower

Persicaria polymorpha

per-sih-KAR-ee-ah pol-ee-MOR-fah Audio

This massive herbaceous shrub needs a lot of room to show off its vase-shaped form, but it does not spread or self-sow like some of its relatives. It blooms close to the ground from June and continues throughout the summer atop 6-foot-tall stems. The large, white, astilbe-like blossoms fade to pink and then reddish-brown as the season comes to a close.

Noteworthy CharacteristicsPersicarias are rhizomatous or stoloniferous plants that are spreading and sometimes invasive. They have fleshy stems and conspicuously veined leaves, some of which exhibit autumn color. Many are suitable in a mixed container or border, others are naturalized in a woodland or meadow. All plant parts may cause skin irritation on contact and stomach upset if ingested. 

CarePrefers moist soil but can tolerate some shade and dry conditions.

PropagationDivide in spring or fall. Sow seed in spring in a cold frame.

ProblemsAphids, Japanese beetles, slugs, snails

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

The Nature of Oaks reveals what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death, and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars, Doug Tallamy illuminates and celebrates the wonders that occur right in our own backyards. He also shares practical advice about how to plant and care for an oak, along with information about the best oak species for your area.
Buy at Amazon

Pruning Simplified: A Step-by-Step Guide to 50 Popular Trees and Shrubs

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Pruning Simplified shows you exactly how to do it. This must-have guide offers expert advice on the best tools for the job, specific details on when to prune, and clear instructions on how to prune. Profiles of the 50 most popular trees and shrubs—including azaleas, camellias, clematis, hydrangeas, and more—include illustrated, easy-to-follow instructions that will ensure you make the right cut the first time.
Buy at Amazon

Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Featuring gorgeous photography and advice for landscapers, Planting in a Post-Wild World by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West is dedicated to the idea of a new nature—a hybrid of both the wild and the cultivated—that can nourish in our cities and suburbs.
Buy at Amazon
  • Genus : Persicaria
  • Plant Height : 3 to 6 feet
  • Zones : 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
  • Plant Width : 6 to 10 feet
  • Moisture : Adaptable
  • Growth Rate : Fast
  • Tolerance : Frost Tolerant
  • Light : Full Sun to Partial Shade
  • Maintenance : Low
  • Plant Type : Perennials
  • Characteristics : Showy Seed Heads
  • Plant Seasonal Interest : Spring Interest
  • Bloom Time : Summer
  • Flower Color : White

Plant Characteristics are only available to Fine Gardening members

Sign up for a free trial and get instant access to our complete plant guide as well as our entire collection of articles and videos.

Start Free Trial

Already a member?

X

Related Plants

Related Articles

More From the Plant Guide

Search our database of 1738 Plants

Winter Interest

Partial Shade

Browse the Full Plant Guide

Fine Gardening Magazine

Fine Gardening – Issue 220
End-of-Season Regrets | Letter from the Editor
Fine Gardening – Issue 219
All Gardens Have Teachable Moments | Letter from the Editor
Fine Gardening – Issue 218
Gardening Against All Odds | Letter from the Editor
Fine Gardening – Issue 217
Peonies vs. Tomatoes—Discuss | Letter from the Editor
Fine Gardening

Follow

Newsletter

Membership & Magazine

Taunton Network

© 2024 Active Interest Media. All rights reserved.

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.