Swamp Smartweed
Other Common Names: waterpepper smartweed, false waterpepper, mild waterpepper
(Polygonum hydropiperoides, Persicaria hydropiperoides)
Native
Swamp smartweed has sword shaped leaves and small flowers that grow in clusters at the ends of branches. Flowers are greenish white with pink tips.
Management Options
Click here for more information on how to control swamp smartweed.
Description
Swamp smartweed is a perennial plant with sword shaped leaves that can be one to six inches long and one quarter to three quarters of an inch wide. Fleshy stems grow upward and range from three inches to more than three feet tall. Flowers grow in clusters at the ends of branches and bloom from spring to fall. The small flowers are green or greenish white and have pink tips.
Swamp smartweed grows in ponds, lakes, streams, marshes, and wet meadows. It can form mats in streams. Ducks, small birds, and small mammals eat a lot of smartweed seeds.
Location
Swamp smartweed can be found in nearly all 50 states of the United States.
Propagation
seeds, roots
Management Options
Click here for more information on how to control swamp smartweed.