Often seen in damp ditches, shorelines, and wet fields, Pennsylvania Smartweed is a common native annual. In late summer, it sends up dense, upright spikes of tiny, tightly-packed bright pink flowers that create a vibrant splash of color. Its distinctly jointed, reddish stems give it a "knotweed" appearance, and its abundant seeds are a vital food source for ducks, geese, and other birds.

Scientific name: Persicaria pensylvanica