Smartweed Pollen Color

Persicaria maculosa; Persicaria pensylvanica

Smartweed pollen is shown in the orange and amber color family as general visual guidance. Use this page as a reference for pollen appearance, bloom timing, plant type, bee forage value, and available hardiness context.

Pollen color is highly variable. Lighting, pollen age, moisture, collection method, cultivar, and local growing conditions can all change how pollen appears. Use this as general visual guidance, not a scientific color standard or guaranteed field match.

Visual guideSmartweed pollen

No verified flowering image is currently available.

Plant Facts

SeasonSummer to Fall
USDA Zone3 - 10
Plant TypeWildflower
ForagePollen and nectar
Pollen ValueMedium
Nectar ValueMedium
Color FamilyOrange and amber
Scientific NamePersicaria maculosa; Persicaria pensylvanica
Common NamesSmartweed, Heartweed, Heartsease, Blackheart, Lady's thumb, Pennsylvania smartweed
Color ConfidenceModerate
Color MethodA North Carolina beekeeper reference assigns Polygonum species the approximate field-guide swatch #FCF3CF; regional labels are mapped conservatively across two common Persicaria species.
Reviewed2026-10-14

Quick Answer

Smartweed pollen is shown in this guide as an orange and amber tone. It is listed as wildflower, associated with summer to fall bloom timing, USDA zone 3 - 10, and pollen and nectar forage value.

Pollen Color Notes

The visual color shown for Smartweed is grouped broadly with orange and amber pollen tones. It is intended for comparison and identification support, not as a laboratory measurement.

Pollen color is highly variable. Lighting, pollen age, moisture, collection method, cultivar, and local growing conditions can all change how pollen appears. Use this as general visual guidance, not a scientific color standard or guaranteed field match.

Bloom, Zone, and Forage Context

Smartweed is listed for summer to fall. The record lists USDA zone 3 - 10; hardiness zones are planning context, not a precise flowering calendar. Approximate bloom months in the supplemental notes: June, July, August, September, October.

Its forage type is pollen and nectar, with pollen value marked as medium and nectar value marked as medium. Dense late-season stands can provide useful pollen and nectar, especially in moist fields and wetland margins.

Identification Notes

Moist-ground annuals with jointed stems, narrow flower spikes, and often a dark thumbprint-like blotch on the leaves; the historical labels are not consistently species-specific.

Flower color note: Pink to white. Flower color and pollen color may differ.

Related by Similar Color

Sourwood - Orange and amber Tulip Poplar - Orange and amber Fuchsia - Yellow and gold Cardinal Flower - Orange and amber Southern Magnolia - Orange and amber Foxglove - Orange and amber

Related by Season

Alfalfa - Summer to Fall Balsam - Summer to Fall Black-eyed Susan - Summer to Fall Blue Vervain - Summer to Fall Boneset - Summer to Fall Buddleia - Summer to Fall

Related by Plant Type

Alfalfa - Wildflower Aster - Wildflower Balsam - Wildflower Bee Balm - Wildflower Bindweed - Wildflower Bird's-Foot Trefoil - Wildflower

Related by USDA Zone

Adam's Needle - Zone 4 - 10 Alder - Zone 2 - 7 Allium - Zone 3 - 9 Almond - Zone 4 - 8 Alsike Clover - Zone 3 - 8 American Basswood - Zone 3 - 8

Related by Bee Forage

Adam's Needle - Pollen and nectar Alfalfa - Pollen and nectar Allium - Pollen and nectar Almond - Pollen and nectar Alsike Clover - Pollen and nectar American Basswood - Pollen and nectar

Sources

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
United States Department of Agriculture / reviewed 2026-07-12
USDA hardiness zone context USDA PLANTS Database
United States Department of Agriculture / reviewed 2026-07-12
scientific name, common name, distribution context, plant classification Pollen & Plant Bloom Dates
New Jersey Beekeepers Association / reviewed 2026-10-14
New Jersey bee-forage plant list, regional bloom windows, common-name context A Manual of Bee Husbandry
New Jersey State Library / reviewed 2026-10-14
historical New Jersey bee-forage list, botanical-name mapping, regional bloom windows Flowering Plants
North Carolina State Beekeepers Association / reviewed 2026-10-11
North Carolina bloom periods, approximate pollen color, scientific name