Polygonum runcinatum

At a glance

Lifecycle: Perennial (hardy)
Exposure: Full sun
Frost limit: −12.2 °C

Cultivation

Succeeds in an ordinary garden soil. This species is not very cold hardy, tolerating temperatures down to about -5°c, though there are probably hardier forms in the wild. 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

Tender young leaves and shoots - raw or cooked as a vegetable. Seed - raw or cooked. It is rather small and fiddly to utilize.

Habitat

Cliffs and roadside banks, 1000 - 3800 metres.

Native range

E. Asia - Himalayas in Bhutan and Sikkim.