Giant Climbing Tearthumb Persicaria perfoliata
Other Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Polygonum perfoliatum
- This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
- Description
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Mile-a-minute is a vine like annual weed in the buckwheat family. It is the only noxious weed in North Carolina. It is very fast growing with long trailing stems and triangular leaves. The stems are red, jointed and have curved prickles along them. You will find it in disturbed areas, roadsides, ditches, and streambanks on 11 states of the east coast and in Oregon where it was first brought over from Asi in the 1830's. It scrambles up and over other plants blocking out light and killing them.
It prefers bright sunny areas with moist, well-drained soils but it will invade dry shady areas as well.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Persicaria
- Species:
- perfoliata
- Family:
- Polygonaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- East Asia, Phillipines
- Climbing Method:
- Scrambler
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Vine
- Weed
- Habit/Form:
- Dense
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Appendage:
- Prickles
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Blue
- Purple/Lavender
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Description:
- Metallic blue-purple fruits are self-pollinated. The fruits are segmented and contain one glossy black or red-black seed. They appear in grape-like groups at stem tips mid-summer and last through the first frost. Fruits are bouyant so can float down waterways and are also transported by birds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Spike
- Flower Description:
- Tiny white flowers, insignificant, lack any petals form around 1 inch long spikes in the axils of upper leaves or at the tips of stems.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Deltoid
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Triangular thin alternate lime green leaves 1-3 inches long and wide with prickles on the undersurface along the midrib. Petioles are attached on the underside of the leaf in the middle.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Slender red stems have curved prickles along them. Stems are jointed at the nodes with rounded leaf-like stipules called ocrea.
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Landscape:
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Spines/Thorns
- Weedy
