Lythrum salicaria (Purple loosestrife)

Botanical name

Lythrum salicaria

Other names

Purple loosestrife, Black blood, Long purples, Purple grass, Rainbow weed, Red Sally, Rose loosestrife, Rosy strip, Sage willow, Soldiers, Spiked loosestrife, Willow weed

Genus

Lythrum Lythrum

Species

L. salicaria - L. salicaria is a vigorous, clump-forming, deciduous perennial with erect, branched stems bearing downy, lance-shaped, dark green leaves and spike-like racemes of star-shaped, purple-pink flowers from midsummer into autumn.

Native to

Asia, Europe

Foliage

Deciduous

Habit

Clump-forming, Branching, Erect

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Colour

Flower

Purple-pink in Summer; Purple-pink in Autumn

Foliage

Dark-green in Spring; Dark-green in Summer; Dark-green in Autumn

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How to care

Watch out for

Specific pests

Slugs , Snails

General care

Pruning

Deadhead regularly. Remove faded flower stems to prevent self-seeding.

Propagation methods

Division

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Monthly care advice

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Where to grow

Lythrum salicaria (Purple loosestrife) will reach a height of 1.2m and a spread of 0.5m after 2-5 years.

Suggested uses

Beds and borders, Bog garden, City, Cottage/Informal, Low Maintenance, Meadow, Waterside

Cultivation

Grow in any moist soil in full sun. Considered a noxious, invasive weed in some introduced areas.

Soil type

Clay, Loamy

Soil drainage

Boggy damp conditions, Moisture-retentive

Soil pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

Light

Full Sun

Aspect

South, East, West

Exposure

Exposed, Sheltered

UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.

Hardy (H4)

USDA zones

Zone 9, Zone 8, Zone 7, Zone 6, Zone 5, Zone 4