PlantFiles: Knotweed, Fleece Flower, Tovara
Persicaria microcephala 'Red Dragon'

This plant does great here in Gainesville, GA (zone 7a). I put in three plants last fall in a morning dappled sun/afternoon shade site under a crabapple tree. The three are now a mound 6 - 7 feet across and 2 to 21/2 feet high, they have been blooming nonstop since early summer and have showed no signs of stress during our August dog-days heat.

Plant grows well here (Abita Springs, LA. - Zone 9A). Requires partial shade, but little else. Tends to become leggy by mid-summer, but responds to a little trimming. Requires no special protection for freezing temperatures.

I love this plant. I live in southern coastal Oregon. I got my first one 5-6 years ago. It has made it through some very freezing weather (23 last winter for over a week). I liked it so much I tried to propagate it in water....instant wilt, no luck. But later I bought some from a lady on EBAY and figured if she could propagate them then, DAMMIT, so could I....lol. I trimmed them one day and took all the 12 inch cuttings, removed the tip growth, stripped all but 1 set of leaves off and burried the stems in shallow trenches directly in the planting bed. I'll be darned, they rooted right there! I have an embankment mixed with those and some green and some yellow plants. It looks stunning all summer. The deer eat it, but only the edges of the bed and the plant doesn't seem to mind losing a little, it just gets stronger. They're striking. I think it's one of my favorite plants. I just wish it didn't wilt in water, they would make such great filler in boquets.
----Sandra, Coos Bay, OR

This plant does produce tiny flowers and viable seeds. The seed collecting info stated in description is incorrect. The minute flowers have been reseeding in my USDA Zone 4 display gardens for more than 10 years!

I bought one of these plants and planted it several years ago on my shady hillside (clay soil here in the East Bay, CA) and it doesn't get much water so it stayed kind of leggy but is still there. I took a cutting, placed it in some water only (back when I didn't know how to do real cuttings) it grew some roots so I planted it on the side of my house where I have a small planting area between the window and walkway. It gets quite a bit of water and full sun there, and boy it really took off and I now can not keep that thing from growing! It has been 3 years now and I am still constantly cutting it back to keep it off of the walkway. It is beautiful, and most of the year always seems to be in bloom here, but it is annoying that it grows so fast. Interestingly enough, I have noticed little babies popping up on the OTHER side of the house... animals??

although this is called invasive, i have no trouble keeping it in check.
it's very easy to pull out, just my opinion..... PLUS, it grows fast, in the shade no less, and the colors are great. what more could ya ask for ?

I love this plant but so far this spring in Zone 6 its hasn't come back. I cut it down last fall to just the crown. You think that was a bad move? Does anyone know if its grows on old or new growth?

I am in zone 5A and I planted three of these in the fall of 2005. Not a single one made it through their first winter and they weren't in a particularly vulnerable spot, either. The nursery where I bought them said that they are advertised as being hardy to zone 5, but they have had varied results from their customers. I loved the looks of them, but I won't try them again.

I bought the plant in the Fall when all its leaves had fallen off because I liked the bare stems with the white flowers. It came back in the Spring and has been doing really well but now, in September, it's attracting hundreds of little flies. They haven't been annoying but it is a little gross to admire it and suddenly notice the hundreds of flies all over it. I'm probably going to rip it out because of that but it was a cool experiment nonetheless.

It is my understanding that one grower is marketing this plant in central Texas under the cultivar name "Rubra."

My information says that it is hardy in zones 3-8.

The more light it receives, the lighter the foliage becomes. Not one of my favorite plants, but nice for a shady area that doesn't get a lot of water. Blooms June-October in my garden, but the blooms are insignificant. PP #12949

The 'Red Dragon' seeds are supposed to be sterile according to several descriptions I have read. It is also supposed to be non-stoloniferous so it's not supposed to be root invasive.

I love plants that change leaf colors during the year. In spring, the leaves are deep burgundy/plum with mint and silver colored chevrons. While in summer, they turn greener with a red leaf margin and a red chevron. It has done well in a container for the past few months. I have just planted it in the ground so I will not post any other comments until I have determined how well it performs.

Update: August 9, this plant has grown tremendously and is really beautiful. The blooms are small, but being in clusters and white, they show up well.

This plant is very easy to root from cuttings, I have a number of these plants that I have rooted and have shared them with a number of my friends. I started with one small plant.

i live in southern ga. i love this plant is has grown outstanding for me in sun and in shade i highly recommend it for any garden. it roots easily in water.

I love this plant, it is so dramatic....but, I've planted it twice in two different locations, my first plant did not come back the next year. It was located in a partial sun location. It was a beautiful plant though. Last year I planted in a mostly sunny location, it was huge, 2 feet high, with at least 3 feet spread....but again it didn't come back this year. The reason why I'm giving it a postive- the plant seeded at least a half a dozen babies for me. Hopefully I will have more luck with those! It is a beautiful plant. (I am in zone 6 in Michigan)

We live in the Florida panhandle (zone 8b). We planted Red Dragon in a shady landscape island in our front lawn about 3 months ago. They get regular watering and have been doing very well. Some persicarias have been classified as invasive, but so far these have not tried to expand outside of the current planting area. Each plant has grown wider rather than taller, with the norm being about 2.5' high by 2' across. It is very easy to take small cuttings and put them in the ground to propagate this plant. Note that overwatering causes fungus infection to appear on the leaves.