Polygonum rigidum

At a glance

Lifecycle: Annual
Exposure: Full sun

Cultivation

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it is hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it should succeed outdoors in many parts of the country. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus. 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. Division in spring or autumn. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Edible uses

Leaves and young shoot tips - raw or cooked. An emergency food, used when all else fails. Seed - raw or cooked. It is rather small and fiddly to utilize.

Habitat

Near fields or roadsides, shaded grassy places in valleys at elevations of 400 - 2500 metres in Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Shaanxi and Shanxi Provinces.

Native range

E. Asia - China, Mongolia, Russia.