Arrowleaf Tearthumb

Persicaria sagittata

Found in marshes, bogs, beaver impoundments, wet thickets. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

Strong

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height: About 1 foot
Light: Partial shade, Full sun
Soil moisture: Moist to standing water

Will it fit your yard?

Persicaria sagittata — foliage photograph — (c) Tom Norton, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Annual
Leaves: Deciduous
Bloom: May to December
Fruiting season: Spring to fall

JFMAMJJASOND

Not yet recorded · Spread

Recorded in 101 Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 3

Regional / representative. Shown: Southern coastal pond margins, Florida and Louisiana to North Carolina; state not identified, a neighboring state.Yellow butterwort beside a moss-hung coastal pond, Marian Ellis Rowan, 1901. Public domain. Source record.

Named place / source context. Shown: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Georgia and Tennessee; which part is not recorded, a neighboring state.Wooded scene looking out over partially open fields, Richard Schlecht, undated. Public domain. Source record.

Freshwater marshes

Open, herb-covered wetlands with fresh, non-tidal water.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 191 animals.

American Wigeon
Anas americana
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Black-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus erythropthalmus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Black-necked Stilt
Himantopus mexicanus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Dendroica caerulescens
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Black-throated Green Warbler
Dendroica virens
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Blue-winged Teal
Anas discors
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Bonaparte's Gull
Chroicocephalus philadelphia
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Brant
Branta bernicla
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Brewer's Blackbird
Euphagus cyanocephalus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Cerulean Warbler
Dendroica cerulea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Common Loon
Gavia immer
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Common Tern
Sterna hirundo
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Dunlin
Calidris alpina
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Eurasian Wigeon
Anas penelope
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Evening Grosbeak
Coccothraustes vespertinus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Field Sparrow
Spizella pusilla
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Forster's Tern
Sterna forsteri
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Fox Sparrow
Passerella iliaca
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Glaucous Gull
Larus hyperboreus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Henslow's Sparrow
Ammodramus henslowii
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Killdeer
Charadrius vociferus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Least Tern
Sternula antillarum
Birds. 1 shared habitat

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

49CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Polygonum

Achyra rantalisGarden Webworm Moth
Acronicta insularisHenry's Marsh Moth, Cattail Caterpillar
Acronicta oblinitaSmeared Dagger
Anaplectoides prasinaGreen Arches Dart
Anticlea multiferataMany-Lined Carpet
Apantesis argeArge Tiger Moth
Apantesis naisNais Tiger Moth
Apantesis virgunculaLittle Tiger Moth
Archips semiferanusOak Leafroller Moth
Calothysanis amaturariaCross-Lined Wave

Show all 49

Chionodes discoocellellaEyeringed Chionodes
Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
Coleophora cratipennellaStreaked Coleophora
Costaconvexa centrostrigariaBent-Lined Carpet
Dypterygia rozmaniAmerican Bird's-Wing
Elophila icciusalisPondside Pyralid, Pondside Crambid
Elophila obliteralisWaterlily Leafcutter Moth
Emmelina monodactylaMorning-Glory Plume Moth
Epiblema otiosanaBidens Borer Moth
Eusarca confusariaConfused Eusarca
Euxoa tessellataTessellate Dart, Striped Cutworm
Feltia subterraneaSubterranean Dart, Granulate Cutworm
Haematopis gratariaChickweed Geometer
Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
Homophoberia apicosaBlack Wedge-Spot, Smartweed Groundling
Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
Hypena scabraGreen Cloverworm Bomolocha, Black Snout
Maliattha synochitisBlack-Dotted Lithacodia, Black-Dotted Glyph, Brass-Dotted Grass Moth
Melanchra pictaPainted Arches, Zebra Caterpillar Moth
Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
Metarranthis duariaRuddy Metarranthis
Nephelodes miniansBronzed Cutworm
Nomophila nearcticaLucerne Moth, American Celery Webworm
Orthonama obstipataThe Gem
Ostrinia obumbratalisSmartweed Borer
Ostrinia penitalisAmerican Lotus Borer, Lily Moth
Parapoynx obscuralisObscure Pondweed Moth
Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
Pseudeustrotia carneolaPink-Barred Lithacodia, Pink-Barred Pseudeustrotia
Pyrrhia exprimensPurple-Lined Sallow, Purple-Lined Sun Moth
Saucrobotys futilalisDogbane Saucrobotys
Schinia spinosaeSpinose Flower Moth
Scopula limboundataLarge Lace-Border
Spilosoma congruaAgreeable Tiger Moth
Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
Strymon melinusGray Hairstreak
Xanthorhoe ferrugataRed Twin-Spot, Twin-Spot Carpet
Xanthotype sospetaCrocus Geometer
Monochroa pullusella

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

34BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Persicaria

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

58BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Polygonum

Agelaius phoeniceusRed-winged Blackbird
Aix sponsaWood Duck
Alectoris chukarChukar
Anas acutaNorthern Pintail
Anas creccaGreen-winged Teal
Anas platyrhynchosMallard
Anser albifronsGreater White-fronted Goose
Anthus rubescensAmerican Pipit
Aythya affinisLesser Scaup
Aythya americanaRedhead

Show all 58

Aythya collarisRing-necked Duck
Aythya valisineriaCanvasback
Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
Bucephala clangulaCommon Goldeneye
Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
Centrocercus urophasianusGreater Sage-Grouse
Colinus virginianusNorthern Bobwhite
Columba liviaRock Pigeon
Columbina passerinaCommon Ground Dove
Coturnicops noveboracensisYellow Rail
Dendragapus obscurusDusky Grouse
Dendrocygna autumnalisBlack-bellied Whistling-Duck
Dolichonyx oryzivorusBobolink
Eremophila alpestrisHorned Lark
Euphagus cyanocephalusBrewer's Blackbird
Francolinus francolinusBlack Francolin
Fulica americanaAmerican Coot
Gallinula galeataCommon Gallinule
Haemorhous mexicanusHouse Finch
Junco hyemalisDark-eyed Junco
Lagopus lagopusWillow Ptarmigan
Mareca americanaAmerican Wigeon
Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Melospiza melodiaSong Sparrow
Melozone crissalisCalifornia Towhee
Molothrus aterBrown-headed Cowbird
Oreortyx pictusMountain Quail
Oxyura jamaicensisRuddy Duck
Passer domesticusHouse Sparrow
Perdix perdixGray Partridge
Pheucticus melanocephalusBlack-headed Grosbeak
Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
Pipilo maculatusSpotted Towhee
Porzana carolinaSora
Quiscalus quisculaCommon Grackle
Rallus elegansKing Rail
Rallus limicolaVirginia Rail
Sialia mexicanaWestern Bluebird
Sialia sialisEastern Bluebird
Spinus psaltriaLesser Goldfinch
Spizella passerinaChipping Sparrow
Sturnus vulgarisEuropean Starling
Turdus migratoriusAmerican Robin
Tympanuchus phasianellusSharp-tailed Grouse
Vireo griseusWhite-eyed Vireo
Zenaida macrouraMourning Dove
Zonotrichia atricapillaGolden-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrysWhite-crowned Sparrow

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Polygonaceae
Flower color: Red
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth habit: Single crown
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Spring
Fruit ends: Fall

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “May to December” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Red” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Single crown” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Height · “About 1 foot” · USDA PLANTS (ranked first; Minnesota Wildflowers differs) · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Leaf retention · “Deciduous” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Life cycle · “Annual” · Minnesota Wildflowers
Light · “Partial shade; Full sun (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
primary_flower_color · “red” · USDA PLANTS
Soil · “Moist; Water; Wet (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia

Also known as

Arrow Leaf Tearthumb; Arrowleaf Tear Scratchgrass; Polygonum sagittatum; knotweed

Conservation status

Virginia rank	S5
Global rank	G5
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your yard?

Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.

Choose a county to begin.

How to check your spot

Arrowleaf Tearthumb

At a glance

Natural habitats

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Persicaria