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India Flint's avatar

Its cousin, Persicaria tinctoria, is the source of beautiful blues in Japanese traditional textiles and while the campanulata version doesn’t generally yield usable indicans I have from time to time noticed prints on cloth made with the leaves oxidising to a blue-green. So I would welcome it in my garden, if it stood a chance of surviving the weather here.

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Anne Wareham's avatar

It does need wet.

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JP Clark's avatar

That’s a beauty. My favourite is Persicaria Bistorta Superba.

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Anne Wareham's avatar

O - there are also lots of poker type ones like that - great, aren't they? Understandably a favourite.

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Jane Baker's avatar

Funny enough back in May I bought a plant with pretty leaves,arrow-shaped with a red stripe on them under the name vietnamese coriander. I had no intention of using it for cooking. It's actually "Persicaria odorata" and in this summer weather the leafy stems if you swish them spread a lovely perfume into the air. It was growing well then a helpful weeder mistook it for a weed and pulled it all out. I rescued it and chopped all stems up now I have a multitude of cuttings perfect for the sort of location you're describing. So a blessing in disguise,lol,and id recommend it along with the ones you've featured.

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Anne Wareham's avatar

I haven't had personal experience of that one - is it maybe tender? The swishing scent sounds great!

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Jane Baker's avatar

I don't know -yet. I guess I'll learn this winter! It does look like the kind of "gift that never stops giving" kind of plant. It's regrowing vigorously from the bits of root missed by the enthusiastic weeder.

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Anne Wareham's avatar

Great - keep one indoors, just in case….

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Adrienne de Vos's avatar

It sounds like just the plant to co-exist with the ground elder on my river bank!

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Anne Wareham's avatar

O, yes!

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Jo Thompson's avatar

This looks fabulous, Anne - I might need to get one or two. Looks like they'll make their way merrily through wherever I decide to put them.

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Anne Wareham's avatar

I love the way a spreader like this brings a border together by weaving. BUT believe me - it devours space.

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