PlantFiles: Purple Fringed Loosestrife
Lysimachia ciliata 'Purpurea'

Lysimachia ciliata is very well behaved in my 5a garden in central Indiana. It never reseeds. It multiplies very slowly and I simply dig out the edge plants to keep my clump the size I want. It prefers semi-shade to full sun. In full sun it needs to be watered every second or third day in hot, dry weather. The dark purple color is gorgeous.

My plants have perservered for five years despite the best efforts of the Stachys bizantina to smother them. They look worse each successive year, though, and I suppose one year they won't bother coming up at all.

Actually, the purple loosestrife that is causing problems by crowding out native wetland plants is Lythrum salicaria, not Lysimachia cliliata. Lysimachia ciliata or fringed loosestrife is a North American native. Lythrum salicaria is native to Eurasia.

I have it in my garden for the third year. Yes, it grows quick and can take over a garden. But I just removed the not wanted stalks and so it stays a compact bush. It's not selfseeding I've noticed. It's a very nice gardenplant. The leaves are red and stay red when it blooms with little yellow flowers. It gives me pleasure for the whole bloomingseason. We had very heavy rains and it did not flop.

This plant is in a very competitive bed, set amidst Plectranthus argentatus, groundcover polygonum, Lobelia fulgens, Swedish Ivy, and varigated vinca minor. It wintered over with rather attractive brown fall coloring, but was very short (less than 6" tall) for many months. Although only a year old it came back strong in spring and is now 3' high.

Needs staking as stems tend to flop over. It is a good looking plant although invasive in wet areas. Here in our dry CA summers it is easier to keep under control. With the dark green leaves, it needs a light background to set it off as the flowers, although multiple, are very small in size.