Polygonaceae

Asiatic tearthumb

Polygonum perfoliatum L.

Family: Polygonaceae
Genus: Polygonum

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Asiatic tearthumb: Persicaria perfoliata — Photo: Dalgial, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons

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Common names

By language (7)

Chinese: 扛板歸, 杠板归, 刺藜頭, 扛板归, 贯叶蓼, 刺梨头, 刺犁头, 扛板归根
Dutch: Gestekelde duizendknoop
English: Asiatic tearthumb, Devil's tail, Giant climbing tearthumb, Mile-a-minute weed
Estonian: Haakuv kirbutatar
Japanese: イシミカワ
Korean: 며느리배꼽
Russian: Горец пронзённолистный, Горец пронзенный, Горец стеблеобъемлющий, Колючестебельник пронзённолистный, Колючестебельник стеблеобъемлющий, Персикария пронзённолистная, Персикария стеблеобъемлющая, Хилокаликс пронзённолистный

Synonyms

Ampelygonum perfoliatum (L.) Roberty & Vautier
Chylocalyx perfoliatus Hassk.
Echinocaulon perfoliatus (L.) Hassk.
Fagopyrum perfoliatum (L.) Raf.
Persicaria perfoliata (L.) H.Gross
Polygonum arifolium var. perfoliatum L.
Tracaulon perfoliatum (L.) Greene
Truellum perfoliatum (L.) Soják

Flowers

In flower: May to October (from 50 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb, Vine
Lifespan: Annual
In the US and Canada: Lower 48 states: introduced

Photos

Photo: Dalgial, CC BY 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Polygonum

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.