Curlytop knotweed (Polygonum lapathifolium)

At a glance

Lifecycle: Annual
Exposure: Full sun

Cultivation

Succeeds in an ordinary garden soil. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits.

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Germination is usually free and easy. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer if they have reached sufficient size. If not, overwinter them in a cold frame and plant them out the following spring after the last expected frosts.

Edible uses

Young leaves - raw or cooked. Seed - raw or cooked. It is rather small and fiddly to utilize.

Medicinal uses

The whole plant is antiseptic and astringent. The plant produces a soft white mass, a froth like that of soap. It is applied externally to burns.

Material uses

The plant produces a soft white mass, a froth like that of soap. It is used for bathing and washing clothes.

Habitat

Swampy thickets, shores, damp clearings and cultivated fields in N. America.

Native range

Temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, including Britain. S. Africa.

Scientific synonyms Persicaria lapathifolia