RE: Another unidentified plant

Claire, the plant does become rangy as the summer wears on.  I cut mine back
severely and it rewarded me with a wealth of fresh new dark wine leaves with
a lovely silver chevron.  I agree, the flowers should just be cut off too.
Like many trees/shrubs & perennials, the dark wine red color does begin to
revert to green as the leaves age and flowering begins.  Aster Lady in Black
is another that comes to mind.  Euphorbia Chameleon does too.  But a nice
cutting back will restore the beautiful color in the leaves.  (I don't cut
the Aster back when it begins to flower of course - it is TOO beautiful!)  I
can't speak to the hardiness issue here in zone 8.
Marilyn Dube'
Natural Designs Nursery
Portland, Oregon


-----Original Message-----
From:	owner-perennials@mallorn.com [owner-perennials@mallorn.com] On
Behalf Of ECPep@aol.com
Sent:	Monday, October 08, 2001 7:30 PM
To:	perennials@mallorn.com
Subject:	Re: Another unidentified plant

In a message dated 10/8/01 5:08:26 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
bpern@idcnet.com
writes:

<<
 >Could it be the pretty, new, and Oh-So-Popular Persicaria 'Red Dragon'?
>>

We had that plant last summer and it was sort of expensive and seemed to be
of a deeper maroon tone. I think I liked it last summer.

This summer 'Red Dragon' was around in all the shops for as little as 3/5.00
in 4inch pots.  It grows like a weed and the color seems to bleach out as
the
plant becomes huge.  I had one in a pot and cut it off so many times this
summer that I finally dumped it on the compost.  There is no way to grow it
compactly and the flowers are just little wisps of white.

Could there be more than one 'Red Dragon'?  Incidentally it is not one bit
hardy here, not even protected in a cold frame which is not what the
catalogs
say.

There are many species of persicaria, some really worthy and most
mislabelled.   I haven't found 'Red Dragon' much fun to grow.

Claire Peplowski
NYS z4

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