This introduction from South East Asia has spread all over the British Isles and can be found as an arable weed, on allotments, in waste places, roadside verges and so on. It is also one of those persistent winter weeds which stops flowering in the very cold weather but carries on if the winter is mild.

Although an introduced species, it is now to be found throughout the British Isles and Ireland but less frequently in the far North of Scotland.

LHS: Frodsham marshes 4th October 2004 RHS Shotton, North Wales 5th May 2006

Added on December 19th 2004, updated 23rd April 2006, updated 21st February 2012