Plant Database
perennial

Silver Dragon Fleeceflower

Persicaria microcephala 'Silver Dragon'

 

 
Silver Dragon Fleeceflower (Persicaria microcephala 'Silver Dragon') at GardenWorks

Silver Dragon Fleeceflower flowers

Silver Dragon Fleeceflower flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  24 inches

Spacing:  30 inches

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade 

Hardiness Zone:  6b

Other Names:  Knotweed, Polygonum

Description:

An interesting foliage perennial; pointy heart shaped leaves are copper-green at the edges, with a white V shaped marking and a light purple blotch; flowers are almost an afterthought; an exceptional choice for season-long color in a garden composition

Ornamental Features

Silver Dragon Fleeceflower's attractive large pointy leaves remain coppery-bronze in colour with prominent white stripes and tinges of purple throughout the season on a plant with a spreading habit of growth. It has masses of beautiful spikes of white flowers rising above the foliage from early summer to early fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting.

Landscape Attributes

Silver Dragon Fleeceflower is an herbaceous perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other garden plants with finer foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

  • Spreading

Silver Dragon Fleeceflower is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • General Garden Use
  • Groundcover
  • Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
  • Container Planting
  • Bog Gardens

Planting & Growing

Silver Dragon Fleeceflower will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 30 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Silver Dragon Fleeceflower is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Garden  Groundcover  Naturalizing  Container  Bog 
Applications
Flowers  Foliage Color 
Ornamental Features


Disclaimer - This resource is provided for informational purposes only and does NOT reflect current availability. Inventory varies seasonally, so we cannot guarantee that every plant will be in stock at all times - please contact your favourite GardenWorks location directly for current availability. It does not include our entire inventory of plants, so be sure to visit GardenWorks to see varieties that may not be represented on this list.