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May 26, 2006 : Persicaria bistorta 'Superba'

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Keywords: Polygonaceae | Persicaria bistorta 'Superba' | 025659-0312-1987 (tentative)

Persicaria bistorta 'Superba'

Only a short entry today – late-night database upgrades and inventory week mean little time for anything else.

While in the garden yesterday photographing plants for the inventory, I overheard a visitor point to this plant (in a different bed without the yellow irises behind it) and say, “Now this I don't care for.” Fair enough, I didn't admire it when I first started at the garden six years ago either. It's interesting, though, to see what familiarity breeds, and in this instance it is the opposite of contempt. 'Superba' bistort has been a reliable, durable plant that requires little maintenance and flowers for a long time – qualities that one can't “see” with a first impression.

You can read a bit more about Persicaria bistorta 'Superba' on the BBC Gardening web site.

Gardening / conservation resource link: The Canadian Museum of Nature's Native Plant Crossroads contains information on gardening with native plants and how it can help plant conservation.

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at May 26, 2006 1:56 AM

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Comments

It is also very hardy, enduring Calgary's harsh climate.

It likes to colonize and spread though, so beware - here today, everywhere tomorrow.

Posted by: Ken Girard at May 26, 2006 8:47 AM

I love this plant for its burgundy fall foliage...other than that, I don't care for it either. I've reduced it to a small patch, from its former 'everywhere tomorrow' status, as Ken so eloquently put it!

Posted by: Randa at May 26, 2006 12:49 PM

I'm not familiar with 'Superba' bistort, but when I first saw this photograph, I was very impressed. I'll have to look for this plant and see if it lives up to my first impression from the photograph, or if I, too, will decide that I don't care for it!

Posted by: Steve at May 31, 2006 10:24 AM

A closer macro would be interesting. Thank you for this one!

Posted by: Christen at July 1, 2009 12:08 PM

Please share your comments about the photograph(s) and accompanying write-up. Telling a story about the subject of the photograph(s) is also much appreciated! If you have a gardening question, the best place to ask is on the UBC Botanical Garden Forums. Thank you!

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Botany Photo of the Day is a project of the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research, located in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. UBC BGCPR is a department of the Faculty of Land and Food Systems within The University of British Columbia.