Knowledgebase
unknown garden plant #752744
Asked May 28, 2021, 3:19 PM EDT
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Expert Response
Hello Kim,
This appears to be a type of Persicaria, a commonly-encountered annual/perennial genus that has some native and some non-native members in our area. Yours looks like Jumpseed (Persicaria virginiana), a native perennial. A few Persicaria species are known for having that dark chevron-shaped mark in the middle of their leaf. The flowers, while distinctive enough to confirm this is a Persicaria, may not appear for another month or more because they bloom later in the season. Here are some sample images of Jumpseed at various ages:
https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/view/3562
At least one decorative cultivar (named 'Painter's Palette', with cream-splashed foliage) is used in gardens, so if this didn't seed-in naturally from nearby wild areas, perhaps a neighbor is growing some and the seedlings reverted to all-green.
If you wish, you can leave them for pollinators (probably very tiny native solitary bees, given the flower size), remove them with relative ease if unappealing, or transplant them to a less-visible corner of the yard if you want to keep them for wildlife but don't want them in this exact spot. They are adapted to woodland conditions - part shade to shade - and moist but well-drained soil.
Miri
You're welcome.