# Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb (*persicaria sagittata*)

The Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb is a fun plant with arrow-shaped leaves that kids can spot in wetlands! Its tiny flowers attract many insects, making it a busy place for nature lovers.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Snaps:** 2
- **Habitat:** Wetlands, marshes, and riverbanks
- **Also known as:** Arrowleaf, Tearthumb

![Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Persicaria_sagittata_WFNY-048A.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Homer D. House, New York State Botanist. Walter B. Starr of the Matthews-Northrup Company, Buffalo, and Harold H. Snyder of the Zeese-Wilkin, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Persicaria_sagittata_WFNY-048A.jpg)

## Appearance

The Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb is a slender, climbing plant with distinctive arrow-shaped leaves. Its reddish stems are armed with tiny, backward-pointing barbs, giving it a prickly feel. Small clusters of delicate pink or white flowers bloom along the upper stems in late summer.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Caryophyllales
- **Family:** Polygonaceae
- **Genus:** Persicaria

## Interesting facts

- Its name 'Tearthumb' comes from the tiny hooks that can gently catch your skin!
- Look closely, and you'll see its tiny pink flowers are shaped like miniature stars!
- Some people cook and eat its young leaves, which have a refreshing, tart flavor!
- This plant can form dense, tangled mats, creating amazing shelter for small animals!

## Special abilities

- **Clinging Climber:** Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb has tiny recurved barbs on its stems that help it cling to other plants, enabling it to climb upwards for more sunlight.
- **Wetland Wanderer:** Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb can thrive in waterlogged soils, using specialized root adaptations to access oxygen in boggy environments.
- **Tear-Inducing Touch:** Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb has sharp prickles along its stems and leaf margins that can cause a mild, stinging sensation if touched.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-200 cm
- **Spread:** 30-150 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.4 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer-fall
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar and pollen.
- **Eaten by:** Mallard duck (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — Ducks consume the plant's seeds.
- **Eaten by:** Marsh Rice Rat (*Oryzomys palustris*) — Small mammals browse on the foliage.
- **Shelter:** [American Bullfrog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bullfrog) (*Rana catesbeiana*) — Provides cover within its dense growth.

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb?

30-200 cm

### How wide does Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb spread?

30-150 cm

### How big are the flowers on Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb?

0.2-0.4 cm

### When does Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb bloom?

Summer-fall

### Is Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb edible?

Yes

### Is Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb toxic?

Mild

### What is Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb's lifecycle?

Annual

## Where to spot

- [Allaire Village](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/allaire-village) — New Jersey, US · Museum
- [Preston City](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/preston-city) — Connecticut, US · Neighborhood
- [Potomac Hills Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/potomac-hills-park) — Virginia, US · Park

[View all places to see Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/arrow-leaved-tearthumb)

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

---

Source: [Arrow-Leaved Tearthumb: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/arrow-leaved-tearthumb)