Persicaria virginiana and Persicaria filiformis have been much confused by botanists in the past. The two species, whilst closely related, are considered as distinct in all modern reference works, and to have distinct distributions. Persicaria filiformis is native to much of Asia whilst Persicaria virginiana is native to N. America.
Some of the reports on plant usage that were originally listed under Persicaria virginiana have been transferred to Persicaria filiformis since they relate to the Asian species. This has been recorded below[].

Common Name: Jumpseed

General Information

Persicaria virginiana is a perennial plant growing from a rhizomatous rootstock; it produces a clump of stems usually 45 - 60cm tall, exceptionally to 130cm[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is grown as an ornamental, valued especially for its various cultivars with variegated leaves[]

Known Hazards

Although no specific mention has been made for this species, there have been reports that some members of this genus can cause photosensitivity in susceptible people.
Many species also contain oxalic acid (the distinctive lemony flavour of sorrel) - whilst not toxic this substance can bind up other minerals making them unavailable to the body and leading to mineral deficiency. Having said that, a number of common foods such as sorrel and rhubarb contain oxalic acid and the leaves of most members of this genus are nutritious and beneficial to eat in moderate quantities. Cooking the leaves will reduce their content of oxalic acid. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition[].

Botanical References

,

Range

Eastern, central and southern N. America - Ontario to Quebec, south to northeast Mexico, Texas and Florida

Habitat

Woods, stream bottoms and lower slopes in Texas[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.60 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

This is a very cold-hardy plant, being able to tolerate temperatures down to around -25°c when fully dormant[].
Succeeds in an ordinary well-drained garden soil in partial shade, but in full sun will need to be in a consistently moist soil[, ]. The plant repays generous treatment[]. Best sited in a location protected from wind[].
In optimum growing conditions, this plant can spread aggressively in the garden by both rhizomes and self-seeding[].
Most plants in this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[].
A polymorphic species[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - raw or cooked[, ].

We have no specific information for this species, but the seed of most, if not all, members of the genus is edible both raw and cooked, and is potentially a good source of amino acids. Unfortunately the seed is also usually rather small and fiddly to utilize[].

Medicinal

A hot infusion of the leaves, combined with honey locust bark (Gleditsia triacanthos) has been used in the treatment of whooping cough[].



The following has been transferred to Persicaria filiformis
The plant is astringent, demulcent, diuretic, pectoral and tonic[, ].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Germination is usually free and easy. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer if they have reached sufficient size. If not, overwinter them in a cold frame and plant them out the following spring after the last expected frosts.
Division in spring or autumn. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.