PlantFiles: Chinese Knotweed, Fo-ti
Fallopia multiflora

I'd recommend growing it only in pots or hanging baskets. It has become invasive in my Zone 8 (Texas) yard. Pretty, though.

So far I love this plant and realize that I will need to train it onto the frame of the shade house so that it won't wind up an unwanted groundcover (see photo). Fo Ti has done well in west central Georgia. Evergreen and tripled in size (in one year) since rescuing it from under the tables at the (plant) nursery where I work. It was quite pitiful when I got it!

From my research, this should not be called Fo-ti. The Holistic Herbal Directory, by Penelope Ody, also calls this Fleeceflower.
I purchased a 1 gallon container of this last summer and it has seemed to do well on my shaded patio until we had a 15 degree low a little while ago. All the leaves show freeze damage even though the plant went through the winter last year without any problems, even at temps in the low 20's. I'm hoping it will recover, but I'm not sure it will. The herb lady I got it from told me it grows on mountain tops in China, so I assumed it was very cold hardy.
Have had spider mites infest it, but it seems to withstand them fairly well with only slight damage to leaves.
Seems to be very heat tolerant, but does not like full Texas sun. I sprayed it to remove the mites and left it out in the yard for a few hours to dry and had several leaves sun damaged.

Grown in large containers, plants will yield woody tubers, in two years, which contain possibly very valuable antioxidents. But be warned, this plant will climb tall trees even as it spreads in all directions. Will it grow fast enough in the south to smother Kudzu?

I've got it growing in a light shade area and it is thriving in the heat here in Davis, CA. It is definitely a fast grower. Very beautiful leaves.

This is a deciduous woody, fast growing vine that can grow from 6 to 30 ft.It has red stems when young,and light green heart shaped leaves 4 inches long.It has small white flowers that have a pink tint.Followed by a 3 winged-fruit that are dark blue when ripe.This has a very extensive root system with tuberous rhizomes it can quickly take over your herb garden.(Grow on a trellis or give it something to climb on.)Does well in sun to part shade in a moist,well drained soil.Needs to be protected from prolonged frost and freezing temperatures,mulch well in the winter in the colder climates.The parts that are used are the roots(he- shou-wu ,fo-ti)and the stems(shou-wou-teng).

A climbing vine, with a huge, perennial root. Used as a sexual tonic for men and to help build blood. Tonic, laxative, antispasmodic, antibacterial used in China to treat dizziness tetanus, cramps, prematurely gray hair, and to increase mental clarity. Roots are used to restore blood, liver and kidneys.