Download Pale Smartweed (Nodding Smartweed, Dock

Pale Smartweed
( (Polygonum
lapathifolium)
Family: Polygonacea (pol-LIG-gon-a-see-ee) – From the Greek
pŏlygŏnon from polys, many and gony, the knee joint. In
reference to the many joints of the rhizomes of this family.
Genus: Polygonum (pol-LIG-go-num) - As above in reference to
many knee joints or angles, possibly referring to the flexibility of
the flower head. Alternative Pronunciation: pol-ee-GO-nus
Species: lapathifolium (la-path-ih-FOH-lee-um) From the Latin
lapathi, an old name for dock or sorrel or having leaves like
sorrel or dock.
Also called nodding smartweed, curly-top knotweed, dockleaved smartweed, common knotweed, willow-weed, willow
smartweed, pale persicaria, wireweed and dockleaf
smartweed.
Pale Smartweed
Smartweed is in the buckwheat family. It is very common
throughout North America as can be seen from its many
common names. It is probably native although there is some
discussion that it might have come from Eurasia. It reproduces
quickly and would be considered a troublesome invasive if it
were not native.
Buckwheat is not in the grass family as some people believe but
in a group all its own. Some buckwheat grains were once used
to make delicious pancakes but smartweed seeds are not for
human consumption and this is not recommended.
In Altona Forest it grows in the moist soil around Lacey’s Pond.
Pale smartweed grows from 30 to 200 cm tall but has not been
seen over 100 cm in Altona Forest.
The leaves are long and can be sharply pointed.
Pale Smartweed
Smartweed white
to pale pink to
bright pink
flowers are
small and
bloom from July
to November or
first frost. The
seeds are
dispersed by
birds and
water.
Pale Smartweed
The stem has a
somewhat zigzag
appearance and
joints have a knotted
appearance with a
sheath remaining on
the stem after the
branch is fully
developed.
The leaves often exhibit
a black splotch.
Pale Smartweed
Many birds, insects, and
mammals do eat the
seeds. Some 1st
Nations people did use
the highly acidic
smartweeds for
internal and external
medicine. A tradition
in Mexico states that
soaking in a
smartweed bath
relieves rheumatism.
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