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Mile-A-Minute Weed
Persicaria perfoliata
Easy · Beginner friendlyAbout Mile-A-Minute Weed
Mile-a-Minute Weed is an East Asian annual vine famous for its astonishing growth rate of up to 6 inches per day, smothering vegetation across the mid-Atlantic and Midwestern US. Growing 20 to 25 feet per season on thin spine-covered stems with triangular leaves and distinctive round cup-like bracts, it produces clusters of small white flowers and metallic blue berries eaten and spread by birds. Listed noxious in many mid-Atlantic states.
- Fast-growing
How to care for Mile-A-Minute Weed
Watering
- Springevery 10 days
- Summerevery 7 days
- Fallevery 14 days
- Winterpause watering
Soil · Well-draining
- Top dressingPine bark mulch10%
- Main mixPotting soil + perlite 2:170%
- DrainageLECA / gravel20%
Never skip the drainage layer — standing water is the top cause of root rot.
FERTILIZER
This plant needs little to no feeding.
At a Glance
- NativeEast Asia, South Asia
- Height10–20 ft (3–6.1 m)
- Spread5–15 ft (1.5–4.6 m)
- Flower colorWhite, Green
- Foliage colorGreen
- Fruit colorBlue
- SoilLoamy, Moisture-retentive
- LocationsYard
Bloom time
BLOOM CYCLE
Peak bloom
Aug–Sep
Small white flowers in cup-like bracts late summer
Toxicity
Humans Slight · Pets Slight
Unknown toxic principle
Slight
- Stem
- Leaf
- Contact
EXPOSURE Touching stems and leaves.
EFFECT Skin scratches from recurved barbs.
NOTE Not chemically toxic; mechanical injury from barbs.
Slight
- Stem
- Leaf
- Contact
EXPOSURE Touching stems and leaves.
EFFECT Skin scratches from recurved barbs.
NOTE Not chemically toxic; mechanical injury from barbs.
Slight
- Stem
- Leaf
- Contact
EXPOSURE Touching stems and leaves.
EFFECT Skin scratches from recurved barbs.
NOTE Not chemically toxic; mechanical injury from barbs.
Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.
DISTRIBUTION
- Native
- Introduced
- East Asia
- South Asia
History
Persicaria perfoliata, mile-a-minute weed or Asiatic tearthumb, is an herbaceous annual vine in the buckwheat family native to East Asia, South Asia, and parts of the western Pacific. It arrived in the United States around 1930 as a contaminant in holly seed received by a York County, Pennsylvania nursery, and spread slowly until the 1980s when it began rapidly colonizing disturbed and riparian habitats from Virginia to Massachusetts. The distinctive triangular leaves, blue fruits, and round leafy ocreae make it unmistakable, and recurved barbs on stems and leaf midribs earn it the name tearthumb.
Vines grow up to fifteen centimeters per day, overwhelming young trees and native herbs. A host-specific weevil, Rhinoncomimus latipes, released starting in 2004, has provided effective biological control in many areas.
Federal biocontrol efforts using the Rhinocominus weevil (introduced 2004) have helped slow its spread, but it remains listed noxious across the mid-Atlantic region.
Symbolism & meaning
What It Symbolizes
Mile-a-Minute Weed is relentless speed — capable of growing six inches a day, smothering young trees and shrubs across the eastern United States in a single growing season. Its distinctive cup-leaved vine, with circular bracts encircling each stem, is the field mark by which exhausted land managers identify its. It is invasion as an Olympic sport, and it is winning.
- Relentless speed — grows 6 inches per day
- Cup-leaved vine — distinctive round bracts around stem
Where the Name Comes From
'Persicaria' from Latin 'persica' meaning peach, for peach-shaped leaves of some species; 'perfoliata' means through-leaved, for the bract that appears to encircle the stem.
Related plants
More Persicaria plants
Plants with similar care
Chinese AbeliaAbelia chinensis
Fragrant AbeliaAbelia mosanensis
Large-Flowered AbeliaAbelia uniflora
Glossy AbeliaAbelia x grandiflora
Frequently asked questions
How often should I water Mile-A-Minute Weed?
Water about every 10 days during the growing season, and always let excess water drain away.
How much light does Mile-A-Minute Weed need?
Full sun: 6+ hrs direct. Watch the leaves — scorching or stretching means the light needs adjusting.
Is Mile-A-Minute Weed toxic to cats or dogs?
Pets Slight (Dogs Slight · Cats Slight) Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.
Is Mile-A-Minute Weed easy to grow?
Yes — it is considered an easy, beginner-friendly plant.
When does Mile-A-Minute Weed bloom?
It typically blooms Aug–Sep in the Northern Hemisphere.
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