Persicaria virginiana, also called jumpseed, Virginia knotweed or woodland knotweed is a North American species. The wild form of Persicaria virginiana has a wide native range throughout most of eastern North America, as well as Japan and the Himalayas.

This 'Painter's Palette' cultivar shows much greater variation than wild-type plants, having variegation, more involved red patterning, and sometimes having red or pink flowers. The plant prefers medium to moist soil and full sun to part shade.

Persicaria virginiana blooms in midsummer to late summer/early fall. It has a stalk of small white flowers.

Type: Hardy perennial

Hardiness zones: 4-9

Height/Spread: 50cm, 35"

Note: Poisonous

Seeds per pack: 5

Germination: As with many perennial seeds, these seeds benefit from a period of moist cold to help them begin to grow. This is done by giving them a cold 'winter' period (natural or artificial), and then a warming to simulate 'spring', and time to grow! Here's how this can be done:

Obtain a planting container that has holes in the bottom for excess water to drain. Place the seeds just under the surface of your growing medium, and water. Place your container in a cold area (but not freezing, perhaps a refrigerator) for 4-6 weeks. Once the cold period is completed, place the container at room temperature for them to germinate. Be sure to keep the soil moist during this entire germination period. Seedlings will sprout a few weeks, or occasionally several months, after the warming period.