Persicaria Affinis Darjeeling Red Knotweed

Persicaria Affinis Darjeeling Red – a favourite garden perennial
Persicaria Affinis Darjeeling Red is a low-growing mat-forming semi-evergreen with pink spire flowers in summer. It holds the RHS AGM and is best used as ground cover in wildlife-friendly gardens.

Persicaria Affinis Darjeeling Red is more commonly known as Knotweed Darjeeling Red. It originates from the Himalayas where it grows at high altitudes in dry soil. It’s popular here as creeping ground cover and a low maintenance border filler. The foliage is mat-forming with new leaves appearing from the centre in spring. Its leaves are lance-shaped and reach up to 15 cms in length with a waxy underside. They’ll often turn appealing shades of burgundy in autumn and pair well with Japanese Acers. In mild areas, persicaria retains its leaves and dead flower spikes throughout winter.

In summer to late autumn dense bee-magnet flower spikes appear from its tufted mat of foliage opening to tiny pink individual blooms and turning deep red in autumn to complement the burgundy foliage. This is an excellent border filler that requires very little attention but always performs vigorously.

Height And Spread of Persicaria Affinis Darjeeling Red
Knotweed Darjeeling Red is a low growing creeping semi-evergreen that reaches 25 cms in height but can spread up to 50 cms.

How Hardy Is Persicaria Affinis Darjeeling Red
Native to the mountains of Nepal and China this little plant is hardy enough to withstand coastal sprays and the coldest winters if it’s planted in well-drained soil. It can cope with drought and is rarely bothered by pests.

How To Use Persicaria Affinis Darjeeling Red
Knotweed Darjeeling Red is best left to spread as ornamental ground cover in wildlife-friendly borders. It fills gaps beneath roses or other flowering shrubs and pairs well with hardy geraniums or autumn flowering asters. Try placing some beneath container-grown shrubs to soften the edges and protect the soil.

Persicaria suits modern courtyards or rock and gravel gardens with its architectural spikes and soft cottage gardens with its pretty pink-red shades. It is an underappreciated hard worker that can be left to fill a border with bee-friendly colour.

How To Care for Persicaria Affinis Darjeeling Red
If it’s planted in well-drained to dry soil Knotweed Darjeeling Red will flourish. It is very undemanding and will spread without special treatment thriving in full sun to partial shade in exposed or sheltered locations.

There is no need to prune this little plant, but you can tidy it up in early spring by cutting away old foliage to make room for new growth.