Mile-a-minute weed Plant Care
Polygonum perfoliatum L.
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Persicaria perfoliata is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family. Common names include mile-a-minute, devil's tail, giant climbing tearthumb, and Asiatic tearthumb.
Full sun to part shade
At a glance
How do you care for Mile-a-minute weed?
Mile-a-minute weed grows best in full sun to part shade. It is reported as toxic to pets, so keep it out of reach of pets.
Where Is the Mile-a-minute weed Native To?
What Is the Mile-a-minute weed?
Mile-a-minute weed (Polygonum perfoliatum) belongs to the Polygonaceae family within the Polygonum genus. Mile-a-minute weed is native to most of temperate and tropical eastern Asia, occurring from eastern Russia and Japan in the north, and the range extending to the Philippines and India in the south. Mile-a-minute weed is also known as Devil's tear-thumb, Corndog grass, Giant knotweed.
Mile-a-minute weed displays a spreading ground cover growth habit, reaching up to tall with a spread of approximately . Mile-a-minute weed produces small, inconspicuous flowers in clusters.
What Light Does the Mile-a-minute weed Need?
Mile-a-minute weed thrives in full sun to part shade.
Light Requirement
Full sun to part shade
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Mile-a-minute weed?
Moist, fertile soil with good drainage. Good drainage is essential for Mile-a-minute weed to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Do You Repot a Mile-a-minute weed?
Divide and replant every 2-3 years. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Mile-a-minute weed?
Mile-a-minute weed can be propagated through seeds, division. Similar propagation techniques also apply to silver-sheathed knotweed plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Mile-a-minute weed Toxic to Pets and Children?
Toxic (caution)
Reported as toxic in our plant data. Not verified by the ASPCA.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Mile-a-minute weed?
Mile-a-minute weed is susceptible to aphids, caterpillars, leaf miners. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
Keep exploring plants
Mile-a-minute weed is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Polygonum genus — compare its care with other Polygonum species on PlantoScan.
Polygonum is part of the Polygonaceae plant family — browse all Polygonaceae genera and species.
Mile-a-minute weed thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
More Polygonum Species
Other Polygonum species in PlantoScan's care catalogue share similar watering, light, and soil preferences:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Polygonum perfoliatum L., family Polygonaceae (first published in Syst. Nat. ed. 10 , 2: 1005 (1759)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Mile-a-minute weed is reported as toxic to pets in our plant data (not verified by the ASPCA), so treat it with caution. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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