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Please can you help me identify this plant. The flowers are soft to touch.

enter image description here

J. Musser
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Cathie Decker
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3 Answers3

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Edit: I retract my opinion on the ID. I think it is Persicaria orientalis as stated in the newer answers. Good catch

Actually, it's not a tree at all, but an herbaceous annual, called Love Lies Bleeding. It's Amaranthus caudatus.

It is a common ornamental plant that lasts only a year, but will frequently reseed itself, and return year after year that way. It can even become an obnoxious weed. It originated in South America, but has spread throughout the many parts of the world.

All parts of the plant are edible, and the leaves can be used as spinach. The seeds can be used in baking.

Here are comparison pics of similar plants:

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J. Musser
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    Please be careful of your identification when recommending edibility. The plant in question is not Amaranthus. Luckily, the plant that it actualy is (Persicaria orientalis), is not poisonous and some species are considered edible. – Brenn Jun 15 '16 at 19:46
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This plant is "Polygonum orientale".

Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
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Mayra
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Without disrepsect for your answer, @J. Musser, This plant is actually Persicaria orientalis, formerly Polygonum orientale as noted by @Mayra, commonly known as "Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate".

enter image description here

Wikipedia article:

Persicaria is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the knotweed family, Polygonaceae. Plants of the genus are known commonly as knotweeds or smartweeds. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, with species occurring nearly worldwide.

General Info with Photos: http://www.anniesannuals.com/plants/view/?id=852

Info and Culture: http://www.houseplantsforyou.com/kiss-me-over-the-garden-gate-polygonum-orientale/

Brenn
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