Edge/ Ladys Thumb

COMMON NAME: Lady’s Thumb

OTHER COMMON NAME(S): Redleg, Heart’s Ease, Black-Heart, Doorweed, Heartweed, Spotted Knotwweed, Willow-Weed

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Polygonum persicaria

FAMILY: Polygonaceae

COMMUNITY: Edge

STATUS: Naturalized  from Europe

LIFESPAN: Annual

HEIGHT: to 3 feet

FLOWERING TIME: Early July to Mid-October

FRUITING TIME: August to late October

DISTRIBUTION:  Throughout United States ~ Statewide in NJ; often a weed

IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS: Erect, often many branched ~ Leaves lance shaped, dark blotches, entire ~ Fruit shape lenticular or triangular, an achene (type of fruit, usually one-seeded, lacking the specialized features that mark a caryopsis, nut, samara or utricle) enclosed in persistent perianth (all the sepals and petals of a flowercollectively).

GENERAL INFORMATION: Members of this family (Polygonaceae), commonly called the Buckwheat or Smartweed family, include 51 genera and 1,150 species.  Polu means “many” and gonu means “knee” for the swollen stem joints of many species.  Food plants in this family include Buckwheat, Sorrel and Rhubarb. The dark smudge on the leaf of Lady’s Thumb is heart-shaped or like a thumb print.  In Britain it is also Pinchweed, Virgin Mary’s Pinch and Useless.  It is written of the Virgin Mary that: “Our Lady pulled up a plant, leaving her thumb print on the leaf, tasted it and threw it away; saying ‘useless’”.  In ancient times was called “Lover’s-Pride” and it was said that if the seeds were taken with wine by the man and the women before supper, “for forty days before conception take place, the child will be of the male sex.”

Please note: While harvesting wild berries/fruit is permitted at Island Beach State Park, visitors must adhere to park regulations at all times and must not damage vegetation or go off designated trails.  This information is presented for educational purposes.