Purple Loosestrife

Description

Lythrum salicaria is a clump-forming wetland perennial valued for its upright habit and long flowering season. It produces dense spikes of rich magenta-purple flowers above lance-shaped foliage, bringing strong vertical color and a natural meadow character to pond margins and damp borders. The accepted name is Lythrum salicaria L., and Kew records it as an accepted species native to temperate Eurasia, northwestern Africa, Ethiopia, and Australia. This species grows best in full sun with reliably moist to wet soil, and it also performs well in a pond basket set at the water’s edge, with the crown just above the waterline or in water up to about 5 cm deep. Mature plants typically reach about 60 to 120 cm in height and flower from late spring into early autumn. It is an excellent choice for wildlife-friendly gardens because the flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinating insects. In suitable conditions it can self-seed freely, so removing spent flower spikes helps limit unwanted spread.