By Traceylou48
Dudley.,
United Kingdom 
Hi, nice to be back!
Could anyone tell me what this plant is please, has just sprung up in my garden(?) not sure if it is a weed or not, it has truncated stem bit similar to a bamboo and small pink flowers not open yet. It has distinctive black pattern on each leaf. Google'd it with no joy.
many thanks :)
2 Aug, 2018
Answers
Hi Steragram,
Perfect! thank you.
So it is a weed.
Info says it is one of the first to germinate from imported top soil, I have just a few months ago topped my shallow borders with topsoil etc guess that is where it came from!
Many thanks for clearing that up :) x
2 Aug, 2018
Out it comes, BTW! ;p
2 Aug, 2018
yes it is a nuisance but in a wilder area it is very popular with the insects. I has pretty leaf markings too. but in a border it needs to come out. I am constantly finding it in bought compost too. so much for it being weed free. And it is a named brand!
2 Aug, 2018
Yes it is pretty, that's why I wasn't sure about it being a weed or not before I pulled it :)
2 Aug, 2018
There are cultivated varieties of Persicaria though, if you like it. (Persicaria bistort)
2 Aug, 2018
I have some lovely cultivated ones - but this needs to come out pronto.
6 Aug, 2018
Try Redshank, Polygonum persicaria
2 Aug, 2018