About

Tovara virginiana var. filiformis 'Painter's Palette' is a shade-tolerant perennial in the Polygonaceae, notable for its slender flowering stalks and seeds that can 'jump' when a ripe pod is disturbed. It flowers from midsummer into early autumn with small white to greenish-white blooms. Leaves are larger and more oval than many relatives and may show chevron-like markings on some leaves. Cultivars and garden selections often differ noticeably from wild plants.

Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0 — Persicaria virginiana

About the genus

Persicaria is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds.

In the garden

Tovara virginiana var. filiformis 'Painter's Palette' originates from North America and sits within the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae. As a woodland-form perennial it is unusual among its mostly sun-loving relatives because it tolerates shade and dappled light. The plant produces alternate, relatively large oval leaves; some leaves may carry a chevron-shaped marking while the stipular ocrea bear fine bristle-fringed edges that commonly age brown. Flowering occurs in midsummer through to early autumn, on wiry stalks of small white to greenish-white flowers that are spaced along the stem. After flowering the seedpods have a characteristic ability to eject ripe seeds when disturbed, a trait that gardeners will notice while deadheading or moving through a border. Fruit-bearing flowers show two downward-pointing, hook-tipped styles. Place 'Painter's Palette' where shade or light dapple predominates — woodland borders, under light-canopied trees or shaded mixed borders are appropriate positions. Expect it to behave as a perennial that can spread from seed; remove seedheads if you need to limit naturalising. Plants can be cut back after flowering to tidy the border and reduce volunteer seedlings, while leaving a few seedheads will demonstrate the species' notable 'jumping' seed behaviour.