Persicaria microcephala (Small-headed Knotweed)

Native from the Himalayas to central and east-central China, this herbaceous perennial spreads through rhizomes. Its patterned foliage can combine reddish or dark green tones with brown and gray markings. Tiny white or pinkish flowers gather in rounded clusters on branching stems from midsummer into autumn. It can form dense groundcover and has been introduced to Great Britain. Propagation is by seeds, stem-tip cuttings or division. Photographed in Florida.