Short Description
Spotted lady's thumb can grow over half a metre high.
The leaves are elongated, shiny, short-haired and usually have a dark spot. They either have a short stem or sit directly on the stem.
The stem grows lying down or erect.
The stem grows lying down or erect.
The plant forms small nut.
Features
Spotted lady's thumb
Persicaria maculosa
pink to greenish white flowers
In the city
Spotted lady's thumb grows on banks, ditches, fields and rubble piles. It prefers moist, nutrient- and nitrogen-rich soils and is widespread.
Fun Facts
Its flowering period is from July to October.
The spotted lady's thumb is pollinated by insects.
The leaves contain pungent essential oils. In the past, the plant was used to repel fleas. However, the effect has not been proven.
It is an annual plant, i.e. it flowers for only one summer and dies after the seeds have ripened.
The seeds are spread by animals, e.g. various songbirds, which eat the seeds and excrete them again.
- Endangerment level Germany: not endangered
Sources
Habitus, Enrico Blasutto, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Persicaria_maculosa_ENBLA07.jpeg
Habitus, Виктор Шумов, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://www.panoramio.com/photo/95453285
Blütenstand, Bouba, CC BY-SA 3.0 , https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Polygonum_persicaria.jpg
Kammer, P. M. (2016) Pflanzen einfach bestimmen. Schritt für Schritt einheimische Arten kennenlernen, Bern: Haupt Verlag.
Schauer, T., Caspari, C. & Caspari, S. (2015) Der illustrierte BLV-Pflanzenführer für unterwegs. 1150 Blumen, Gräser, Bäume und Sträucher, München: BLV.
Seitz, B., Ristow, M., Meißner, J., Machatzi, B. & Sukopp, H. (2018) Rote Liste und Gesamtartenliste der etablierten Farn- und Blütenpflanzen von Berlin. : Der Landesbeauftragte für Naturschutz und Landschaftspflege / Senatsverwaltung für Umwelt, Klima und Verkehr (eds.) Rote Listen der gefährdeten Pflanzen, Pilze und Tiere von Berlin, URL: https://www.berlin.de/sen/uvk/natur-und-gruen/naturschutz/artenschutz/artenlisten-rote-listen/farn-und-bluetenpflanzen/ (Accessed: 26.03.2021).
Spohn, M., Golte-Bechtle, M. & Spohn, R. (2015) Was blüht denn da? Stuttgart: Franckh Kosmos Verlag.
Bundesamt für Naturschutz (n.d.) Artensteckbriefe, URL: http://floraweb.de/pflanzenarten/artenhome.xsql?suchnr=23038& (Accessed: 20.08.2018).
Page „Floh-Knöterich“. : Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Date of last revision: 13.06.2018, 12:09 UTC. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Floh-Kn%C3%B6terich&oldid=178274989 (Accessed: 20.08.2018).