Persicaria bistorta (Common bistort) — dense, cylindrical, bottlebrush-like spikes packed with tiny soft candy-pink flowers, blooming late spring to mid-summer with occasional autumn repeat flushes. A good pick for pollinators, fully hardy, full sun or partial shade. Flowers best with plenty of light but tolerates light woodland shade.
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🌿 Grown at our London nursery — collect in person or arrange local delivery
📦 Dispatched within 3 business days via Royal Mail
Product features
Common name: Common bistort, meadow bistort, adderwort, snakeweed
Height: 45cm – 90cm
Spread: 60cm – 90cm
Foliage: Large, paddle-shaped, wavy-edged mid-green leaves with a pale central vein
Flower: Dense, cylindrical, bottlebrush-like spikes of tiny candy-pink flowers, late spring to mid-summer
Attractive to wildlife: Highly attractive to honeybees, bumblebees, butterflies, hoverflies
Soil Type: Fertile, humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil, tolerates seasonal waterlogging
Drought tolerant: No, highly susceptible to leaf scorch in dry soils
Hardy: Extremely cold-hardy (RHS H7)
Position: Full sun to partial shade, needs damp position in full sun
Evergreen: No, semi-evergreen to deciduous
Suitable for: Pond margins, bog gardens, damp meadows, ground cover
Materials and care
Light: Full sun or partial shade, flowers best with plenty of light
Aspect: Adapts well to any aspect
Soil type: Fertile, organic-rich, heavy soil, thrives in clay, loam, or mud
Drainage: Poorly drained or moist but well-drained, loves boggy conditions
Watering: High needs, keep soil consistently wet
Deadheading: Cut spent spikes down to the base for a second bloom
End of season: Cut dead stems down in late autumn
Propagation: Lift and divide rhizome clumps in early spring or autumn
