Densely hairy, rapidly growing annual, stems erect, to 2 m tall (slightly bamboo-like, being swollen at the nodes). Leaves ovate to lanceolate, long-pointed to about 25 cm long, 10 cm wide, soft-hairy with prominent midrib and lateral veins on both surfaces, slightly truncated, heart-shaped at the base. Leaf stalk 2-8 cm long. Sheath soft-hairy. Flowers in open to dense spike-like magenta clusters 5-8 cm long. Stamens usually 7. Style 2-branched; summer to autumn. Nut flat to convex about 3 mm long, pointed, brown or black. [Polygonum orientale L.]

Asia, Australia

Indigenous to Queensland, New South Wales and Northern Territory.

Occasionally naturalised as in the Eltham area of Victoria.

Occasionally encountered in older gardens. Generally grown on very damp sites.

Rapidly growing densely hairy annual with terminal, branched spikes of deep magenta flowers

Source: Spencer, R. (1997). Polygonaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 2. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 1. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.