Plant · GBIF taxon 2889320
American jumpseed
Persicaria virginianaAlso known as Jumpseed, Virginia Knotweed, Woodland Knotweed
American jumpseed thrives in moist woodland understories where few other smartweeds grow. Its tiny greenish white flowers give way to rigid spring loaded seed stalks during late summer. When a passing animal brushes against the ripe fruit, the hooked achene explodes off the stem and catapults several feet into the leaf litter.
WoodlandPerennialNative Plant
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
Predators
- White-tailed deer
- Herbivorous insects
ThreatsHabitat loss, invasive species competition
HabitatsMoist deciduous forests, shaded ravines, stream banks, floodplains
Life spanPerennial (5–10+ years)
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderCaryophyllales
- FamilyPolygonaceae
- GenusPersicaria
- SpeciesPersicaria virginiana
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Seed Dispersal: Lightly touch a mature autumn seedhead to trigger the spring loaded catapult mechanism.
- Shade Identification: Look for prominent dark chevron markings on the broad green leaves in forest understories.
Close Relative (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Repina Tatyana, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Repina Tatyana · cc-by
Family Member (c) Andreas Rockstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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