Plant Inventory at 20 Timothy : Persicaria / Fleeceflower

Persicaria

affinis 'Dimity'

The Himalayan fleeceflower is also called Polygonom affine 'Superba'. I planted it as a groundcover under all the plants in the middle strip of garden between the patio and the back garden. And there is some at the front edge of the back garden, under the maple.

9/1/10

Dense basal foliage turns red in Fall. Erect flower spikes of pink and rust are small and cute, like fuzzy pipecleaners. Flowerstalks are reddish.

It is a neat, compact edger. It spreads by rhizomes, and forms a dense groundcover mat of clean green lance shaped leaves; they have a tinge of red on them.

It's moisture loving, and in a dry summer it has brown gaps. IN spring it always looks awful, with brown bare patches but with enough moisture it fill in by summer.

10/25/10 deep red fall color, in front of amsonia

established patch of 'Dimity' 9/13/11

Fall color has never been as red as it was in 2010, instead it gets a very rusty color, then a saturated brown, well into winter.

In 2013 as spring started I was pretty disappointed with the fleeceflowers. They had formed browned out patches and empty spots in 2012, and over winter it all seemed to die out. It looked awful in spring in a way that it had not before. But then we got a ton of rain in late May and early June, and they perked up and greened and spread nicely. I have to remember that these are moisture lovers, and it makes a difference when there is enough wet.

5/8/13 6/9/13

Once they filled in so nicely, they were stars all summer, blooming their cute pipe cleaner heads off. The pink fuzzy spikes last all summer and into early fall.

7/15/13

9/10/13

And 2013 surprised with good red color, making a vibrant mat at the foot of the maples and in the middle Blueberry Garden too.

11/1/13

If these get enough moisture they spread really well, filling in any winter damage or empty spots, and smothering weeds. They have nice foliage and the long lasting blooms are cute. A great ground cover.

Again in 2014 I was pretty dismayed at how these look well into May, brown and ratty and dead in the centers.