Persicaria orientalis
Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate
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Family: Polygonaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Persicaria orientalis (Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate) is a non-native California herb in the Polygonaceae family, recognized by giant size and leaf-like ocrea tops distinctive.
Kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate is a naturalized annual found in the Sacramento Valley and southern Coast Ranges in disturbed places at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from summer to fall, this plant produces pink to dark pink flowers in nodding spike-like clusters up to 18 centimeters long. Growing with erect stems 50 to 200 centimeters tall that are slightly ribbed and nearly hairless, it develops impressive height in disturbed landscapes. Its large ovate leaves measure 4 to 25 centimeters long, with rough midveins and hairy surfaces, featuring distinctive funnel-shaped brown papery sheaths at the leaf base. The fruit is a small, shiny dark brown to black lens-shaped seed about 2 to 3.5 millimeters wide.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; giant size and leaf-like ocrea tops distinctive
Habitat and range
Habitat: Escaped from cultivation in disturbed places (most likely dispersed by birds)
Elevation: < 1500 m
Outside California: western and eastern North America, native to Asia
How to tell it apart
vs Polygonum: Persicaria has opaque stem sheaths; Polygonum has translucent sheaths that split into two lobes.; vs Rumex: Persicaria has spike-like pink/white flower clusters; Rumex has branched greenish flower clusters.; vs Trifolium: Persicaria has spike/head flower clusters and papery stem sheaths; Trifolium has clover heads and no sheaths.; vs Salix: Persicaria is an herb with flower spikes; Salix is a woody shrub with catkins.; vs Phytolacca: Persicaria has small pink/white flowers in spikes; Phytolacca has white-green flowers and dark purple berries.
Frequently asked questions
Is Persicaria orientalis native to California?
No. Persicaria orientalis is not native to California (recorded as not native).
What plant family does Persicaria orientalis belong to?
Persicaria orientalis is in the Polygonaceae family, genus Persicaria.
What habitat does Persicaria orientalis grow in?
Persicaria orientalis grows in Escaped from cultivation in disturbed places (most likely dispersed by birds).
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.