Vampire Bat Leaves
By Roblundie
United Kingdom 
I saw in a garden in central France this border plant (shrub?). It was less than a metre tall with these distinctively marked leaves, and dark reddish fine stems bearing what I took to be tiny red flowers. I've looked everywhere I can think of, with no success. Any ideas? Thanks, Rob
Many thanks Beattie for your response.
The persicaria certainly resembles a smaller scale Japanese Knotweed, but the stems of ”my” plant are much more red than the Heronswood photo implies. I'll go with the ornamental knotweed unless a perfect match turns up.
9 Sep, 2011
Answers
I wondered about that SBG, but I thought the stems and buds looked wrong. I don't have a better suggestion though. :-(
9 Sep, 2011
OK, maybe I'm wrong - how about this -
http://www.heronswood.com/perennials_perennials-p-to-r_persicaria/persicaria-brushstrokes/
Doesn't have red stems in the photo though.
9 Sep, 2011
I am quite taken by this , I hope it can be ID ed.
9 Sep, 2011
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is it one of the persicarias used to be polygoniums?
9 Sep, 2011