Bistorta amplexicaulis (synonym Persicaria amplexicaulis), the red bistort or mountain fleece, is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family Polygonaceae, native to China, the Himalayas, and Pakistan. It is a damp-loving herbaceous perennial growing to 1.20NaN0 tall and wide, with heart-shaped pointed leaves, downy beneath, and narrow spikes of rose-red or white flowers in summer.[1] [2]
Numerous cultivars have been developed for garden use, including 'Firetail'.[3]
The Latin specific epithet amplexicaulis means "clasping or embracing the stem", and refers to the leaves' habit of growing around the stem.[4]