Persicaria virginiana ‘Painter’s Palette'
Common name: Painter’s Palette
Persicaria virginiana ‘Painter’s Palette' - If you are looking for a plant to brighten a shady spot, Painter’s Palette is the perfect choice. This perennial is grown for its exquisite leaf pattern and colour. It is well placed in our Black Garden, where it contrasts beautifully with the dark purple and black plants. Its terminal flowers spike in fall with tiny red flowers. Painter’s Palette grows to 45 cm/18 in tall and wide and is a slow spreader. You can also find this plant in the Eastern North America Garden in bed 107A.
The species, Persicaria virginiana, is native to eastern North America and grows in partial or full shade on river banks, woods, cliffs and rocks. It is in the knotweed or buckwheat family. This is a family with some big-time invaders, Japanese knotweed being the most notorious. So far this cultivar is behaving. Those in the Persicaria genus don’t seem to be the invasive ones.
Text and photos by Hughie Jones