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Anyone familiar with Persicaria (Bistorta) 'Firetail' or 'Blackfield'?

HumbleBeeHumbleBee Posts: 105
in Plants
Hi All
I have a space in a border I want to fill with one of these two plants which I've never grown before. Is a single 2 litre pot planted in spring enough to fill a 2.5 x 2.5 ft space by mid-summer? (the border is fairly shaded but does get some direct sun) I have no idea how quickly these things grow and spread! Any knowledge much appreciated :)
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  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    I'm not sure if the one I have is Firetail or not, but it is similar. All Persicarias  are the same here, once they get their feet in the ground they gallop away. They obviously love my cool, damp, shady soil and don't mind sun if they don't get too dry. This smaller one is better behaved than some of the others I have which have to be attacked regularly to keep them in bounds.
    If you can provide the right conditions then it should be able to have a good stab at covering that area, though it may not achieve absolute coverage because of the way they grow, sort of zig-zagging their way about. Once fully established it can move very quickly :) l
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited February 2023
    @HumbleBee They do need a retentive soil so take that into consideration. I think one pot of Fire Tail won't do the job year one. By year two it probably will but I wouldn't spend money on two plants as by year three you will probably need to lift and split. I think patience is the best way forward. You will be watering alot through out the growing season they hate dry soil. My favourite is P Red Dragon it is cut back in spring so space for narcissus Thalia works well. 

    The above is very much subject to individual growing conditions which vary considerably.  

    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Butterfly66Butterfly66 Posts: 970
    I have Firetail in a north facing border. It should fill that space by year 2. Lovely plant, long lasting flower stems and good foliage. I didn’t water mine at all during the drought last summer and it looked good and flowered well (our soil is “heavy” loam) and it was my Firetails second season
     If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
  • HumbleBeeHumbleBee Posts: 105
    Thanks for all the comments - very helpful! The border is cool, moist clay - not prone to drying out (unless we get extreme heat like last summer!) so fingers crossed my persicaria will be happy there! I think I'll be patient and start with the one pot and see how it goes. Am really excited to see how it turns out! :)
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @HumbleBee I have a friend who has a huge collection of them. So many great ones. P Fat Domino is lovely and if you have space and the right conditions P Polymorpha.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • HumbleBeeHumbleBee Posts: 105
    @GardenerSuze I looked at Fat Domino too - I haven't actually ruled it out yet, I only started looking at Firetail and Blackfield as they were the two larger red ones that happened to be available online. Have been tempted to buy a little pot of each one to grow on to see how they differ in colour/leaves etc but I probably need more space! :D
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @HumbleBee The flowers on Fat Domino are really good. Red Dragon has amazing leaves it's white flowers however are poor. I have been known to cut them off!
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Butterfly66Butterfly66 Posts: 970
    Is RedDragon hardy, @GardenerSuze ? I’ve read conflicting advice so have resisted so far. I had read that it’s the foliage you should grow it for rather than the flowers. I’m tempted to get some as perennial colour for my summer pots but was put off as I don’t want to spend that much if I can’t keep it alive over winter
     If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited February 2023
    I have grown it for over ten years, sometimes the new leaves have been scorched by frost but new ones soon appear. I have never lost it. Silver Dragon I understand is not so tough but sells on sight at the shows. A large pot full of Red Dragon is lovely to see.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • HumbleBeeHumbleBee Posts: 105
    @GardenerSuze I had to google what Red Dragon looks like and I've just realised that this mystery plant I saw growing in a pot at Standen House in Sussex a couple of years ago might be a persicaria too. Have looked for something similar in garden centres but never come across it. I presumed it was a rare or tropical plant because it looked so unusual! This photo is terrible but it looked fabulous in real life!
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