Kitchen Garden Forum

I have this plant growing along the side of the house.
The area gets no sun. I was weeding down there a few years ago and decided to leave this as it looked interesting. Since then it's thrived and now covers about four feet along the bottom of the wall and climbs a little up it. It looks like a houseplant to me though I've no idea what it is. It's survived several winters and as you can see it's flowering at the moment. Any suggestions gratefully received as it's starting to really bother me that I don't know what it is!

At a wild guess it looks like some kind of houseplant that I used to have, but as to it's name??? I am clueless also. Good Luck, someone will know.

Dear Jenny, This one has got me beat, i was thinking down the lines of Houttuynia and then Polygonum/Persicaria, but i'm sure it's not these, will have to leave it to a proper plants person.

Thanks for trying at least guys. I'm glad it's not something increbibly common and obvious - thus showing my complete ignorance!

Why not e-mail it to R4 Gardener's question time or similarly e-mail to the RHS, I am sure their website will have some advice on plant identification, it is of course quite pretty!!

Compo

Listen, I know I can be a smart-arse at the best of times, but I didn't spend all those years 'not getting out much' because I was addicted to just LEARNING.... and I just KNEW there would be a day when I could be of use....
Jenny, I reckon it's a member of the Polygonum (Knotweed family), and varieties of such are sometimes used in hanging baskets, so, could possibly overwinter in a sheltered site.
Looks like it to me.....
(PS. If The Piglets ever move in with us, I'll let you know, and you can too, no probs!)
Happy New Year Jenny!
Lots of love, Wellie, Trousers and BC
XXX

Dear Jenny,
what you have is polygonum campanulata (syn persicaria campanulata). It is a native of the southern slopes of the Himalayas and is quite hardy. It is tolerant of shade and damp but not of summer droughts. A very nice plant and not a very usual one.
Regards Sally Wright.

Dear Sally, i did think of Persicaria Campanulata, but i didn't think the flowers looked quite bell shaped enough in the photo.
But having a closer look i think you are right.
Dear Jenny, could you get down on your hands and knees and check for us.

I do enjoy these guess the plant quizzes.

Thanks so much everyone! My plant identified AND an offer to join a communal vegetable growing love-in! Talk about made my day!
I've no idea how on earth that plant has got to be where it is. It's growing at the base of the house wall in no soil whatsoever, just the crack between the house and the pathway. If it likes a damp environment it looks like I'll have to choose between keeping the plant and getting the guttering fixed.
Maybe I could strike cuttings? Is it amenable to that kind of thing does anyone know?

Edited to add: I don't know about getting down on my hands and knees for you Herby but I may take a closer photo of the flowers if I get a chance.

Hi Jenny,
According to the 'Oracle' you can take cuttings of Polygonum but, being quite a large family, it may not cover them all.
Semi-mature cuttings can be taken from June to September inclusive and Hard-wood cuttings during October and November. Look forward to my plant at Malvern 2008!
Sincerely,
JB.

Dear Jenny, i was only thinking about a closer photo of the plant, honest,

Jenny, you could also try pinning a couple of the growing tips down onto a pot of compost, you may find they will root quite readily.

http://www.callnetuk.com/home/thorntona ... ober01.htm

I can't say what your plant is, but I found a photo of the polygonum campanulata (follow internet link down the page)and yours doesn't look quite like that, as that one has longer more indented foliage and long racemes of flowers, unlike the flatter heads on your plant. Polygonums, though, do often have that sort of darkish coloured patches in the top half of the leaves; it may be that growing in a crack is affecting its usual habit of growth, as it generally likes quite dampish soil. However, yours also looks quite fleshy - as if it is more like a tradescantia. Is it fleshy and breaks off easily?
Alison
puzzled

Dear Alison, it certainly doesn't look like Jenny's plant by your pictue, but i don't think it's a Tradescantia either.
The mystery deepens.

Oooh you're right. It doesn't look like that picture at all, though sometimes people have got the wrong name for something. I took some more photos today. Yes, it is fleshy and breaks off easily - maybe tradescantia is the houseplant it reminds me of?



Johnboy you're very welcome to a cutting but I hope you have a suitable crack at the base of a wall and leaky guttering as these are the best growing conditions.

Following a bit of a search....could it be Persicaria capitata.???
http://www.ingwersen.co.uk/Persicaria%20capitata.htm

...And the top brick, above blue brick dampcourse, I believe I can identify as an LBC Rustic WireCut...same build as the house here..

Clive.