Leaf
Florent Beck, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Knotgrass
Polygonum aviculare L.
Also known as: Common knotgrass, Prostrate knotweed
Family: Polygonaceae
10 to 50 cm (often prostrate)
Trampled paths, waste ground, pavement cracks
Flowering: June – October
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy to about -20°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Withstands intense trampling where almost no other plant grows, between paving stones.
🍃 Leaves
Small, narrow, borne on prostrate, branched stems
🌸 Flowers
Tiny, pinkish-white, in the leaf axils
🍎 Fruits
Small brown triangular achene
🪵 Bark
Prostrate stems, knotty at the joints, membranous sheath at each node
🗺️ Distribution
Cosmopolitan, native to Eurasia; very common in France on trampled paths and waste ground
🐝 Value for pollinators
Tiny flowers poor in nectar, occasionally visited by small insects
✂️ Horticultural uses
Regarded as a weed of paths and crops, with no ornamental use
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity
🌿 Other Polygonaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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