Bistorta officinalis 'Superbum'

(Snakeweed)

Rating: 🌻🌻🌻🌻

Light: ⛅

Deer resistant: yes 🦌

Moisture: not fussy

Size: 30” H x 24” W

Bloom: Pink, bottle-brush flowers appear on stalks above basal foliage in early June

Hardiness zone: 3

Bistorta officinalis (formerly known as Polygonum bistorta) is a vigorous, spreading, plant with long, ruffled, lance-like basal foliage that will quickly form large stands. It’s rapidly spreading habit has led us to call it “Super-Bum” for its thuggish ways. However, it is such a lovely plant that we give it a 4 flower rating anyway. Dig up what you don’t want to keep, and give it away to friends. You will soon have more. The abundant, lovely, pink bottlebrush blooms wave gently above the basal foliage in early June, attracting bees and other nectar-loving insects. Foliage may get a little ratty by late summer. Deer apparently don’t like Bistorta.