|                    Mild water-pepper, Swamp smartweed
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                |                    Polygonum hydropiperoides  
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                |                    Polygonaceae 
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                 Landscape Uses:
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                 Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations.  Also margins of ponds and lakes. | 
               
                Ecological Restoration Notes:  | 
               
              
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                | Availability: | 
               
              
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                 Grown by enthusiasts and occasionally by native plant nurseries. | 
               
              
                | Description: | 
               
              
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                 Small to medium creeping herb. | 
               
              
                | Height: | 
               
              
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                 About 1-2 feet in height.  Spreading and forming mats much broader than tall. | 
               
              
                | Growth Rate: | 
               
              
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                 Moderate. | 
               
              
                | Range: | 
               
              
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                 Widespread in North America south to Miami-Dade County and the Monroe County mainland; West Indies, Mexico, Central America and South America. | 
               
              
                | Habitats: | 
               
              
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                 Marshes and swamps. | 
               
              
                | Soils: | 
               
              
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                 Wet, poorly-drained to moderately well-drained sandy or organic soils, with humusy top layer. | 
               
              
                | Nutritional Requirements: | 
               
              
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                 Moderate; can grow in nutrient poor soils, but needs some organic content to thrive. | 
               
              
                | Salt Water Tolerance: | 
               
              
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                 Low; does not tolerate flooding by salt or brackish water. | 
               
              
                | Salt Wind Tolerance: | 
               
              
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                 Low; salt wind may burn the leaves. | 
               
              
                | Drought Tolerance: | 
               
              
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                 Low; requires moist to wet soils and is intolerant of long periods of drought. | 
               
              
                | Light Requirements: | 
               
              
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                 Full sun to light shade. | 
               
              
                | Flower Color: | 
               
              
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                 Pink. | 
               
              
                | Flower Characteristics: | 
               
              
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                 Semi-showy. | 
               
              
                | Flowering Season: | 
               
              
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                 Spring-fall. | 
               
              
                | Fruit: | 
               
              
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                 Inconspicuous nut. | 
               
              
                | Wildlife and Ecology: | 
               
              
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                 Attracts bees, wasps, flies, beetles, and other insect pollinators. The seeds are eaten by ducks, rails, and granivorous songbirds.
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                | Horticultural Notes: | 
               
              
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                | Comments: | 
               
              
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