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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Polygonum hydropiperoides (Swamp smartweed)
Romfh, Peggy

Polygonum hydropiperoides

Polygonum hydropiperoides Michx.

Swamp Smartweed

Polygonaceae (Buckwheat Family)

Synonym(s): Persicaria hydropiperoides, Persicaria hydropiperoides var. breviciliata, Persicaria hydropiperoides var. euronotora, Persicaria hydropiperoides var. opelousana, Persicaria opelousana, Persicaria paludicola, Persicaria persicarioides, Polygonum hydropiperoides var. adenocalyx, Polygonum hydropiperoides var. asperifolium, Polygonum hydropiperoides var. breviciliatum, Polygonum hydropiperoides var. bushianum, Polygonum hydropiperoides var. digitatum, Polygonum hydropiperoides var. euronotorum, Polygonum hydropiperoides var. opelousanum, Polygonum hydropiperoides var. psilostachyum, Polygonum hydropiperoides var. strigosum, Polygonum opelousanum, Polygonum opelousanum var. adenocalyx, Polygonum persicarioides

USDA Symbol: POHY2

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (I), PR (N), CAN (N)

Swamp Smartweed is a member of the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae) which includes mostly herbs, sometimes shrubs or vines, rarely trees, with small flowers in racemes, spike-like clusters, or in heads. Stems commonly have swollen nodes. (The family name refers to this, deriving from Greek words meaning "many knees".) There are about 40 genera and 800 species, chiefly in north temperate regions. Rhubarb and Buckwheat are sources of food, and a few species are grown as ornamentals.

 

From the Image Gallery

23 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Achene
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.
Leaf: Dark Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Pink , Green
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov

Distribution

USA: AK , AL , AR , AZ , CA , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV
Canada: NB , NS , PE

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Sun
CaCO3 Tolerance: High

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: OBL OBL OBL OBL OBL OBL OBL OBL OBL
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Nueces River Authority - Uvalde, TX

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 36 - Jepson eFlora (2019) The Jepson Herbarium, University of California, Berkeley
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Polygonum hydropiperoides in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Polygonum hydropiperoides in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Polygonum hydropiperoides

Metadata

Record Modified: 2022-12-06
Research By: TWC Staff

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