Persicaria virginiana, also called jumpseed, Virginia knotweed or woodland knotweed is a North American species of smartweed within the buckwheat family. It is unusual as a shade-tolerant member of a mostly sun-loving genus.
Persicaria virginiana is a vigorous perennial native to Missouri. It typically forms a spreading foliage mound 2-3 feet tall and as wide or wider. Broad, oval, medium green leaves. Tiny, white to greenish-white, beady, jumpseed-like flowers on long, slender, wand-like stems appear in mid to late summer, but are not particularly showy. Sheathed stem joints are a distinctive characteristic of all plants in this genus. Synonymous with and sometimes also sold as Polygonum virginianum or Tovara virginiana. Variegated cultivars are more commonly grown for their showy foliage. Genus name comes from the Latin persica meaning peach-like and sagittata meaning barbed or arrow-shaped in reference to the shape of the leaves.
