Is Lythrum an invasive plant?
Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is a highly invasive perennial that is a perfect example of this. The herbaceous plant is native to Eurasia and became known within the US shortly after the beginning of the nineteenth century. The spread to North America occurred in the 1800s.
Is Lythrum a perennial?
Lythrum plants are hardy perennials that can reach an height of 150 cm. In areas where it can be grown non-invasively it makes a useful pond edge plant carrying purple-red flowers.
Should you deadhead Lythrum?
Its flowers are extremely attractive to bees and butterflies. For best results grow Lythrum salicaria in moist soil, such as around the edge of a pond. Plants shouldn’t need staking but deadhead spent blooms regularly to maintain a tidy appearance, and divide clumps every three to five years to avoid congestion.
What is the purple loosestrife native habitat?
Preferred Habitat: Purple loosestrife can be found in variety of wetland habitats including freshwater tidal and non-tidal marshes, river banks, ditches, wet meadows, and edges of ponds and reservoirs.
Do bees like Lythrum?
If the plant has suitably moist soil & can reach its full height, it forms a candelabra. Bees’ Favourite. Lythrum salicaria is loved by Bumblebees & other insects, including The Emperor Moth, The Pug Moth & The Powdered Quaker Moth.
How fast does loosestrife grow?
Reproduction and Life Cycle. Purple loosestrife spreads rapidly via seeds, roots and stem fragments. A single mature plant can produce more than 2 million seeds per year. Wind, water and animals spread the seeds, which grow into new seedlings the following spring.
What does Lythrum look like?
What does it look like? Purple loosestrife is a tall erect plant with a square woody stem which can grow from four to ten feet high, depending on conditions. Leaves are lance shaped, stalkless, and heart-shaped or rounded at the base. They produce numerous spikes of purple flowers throughout most of the summer.
Is all loosestrife invasive?
It is considered to be invasive because it grows rapidly, produces many seeds and has no natural predators. The plant quickly establishes itself and crowds out native wetland plants. Never plant any variety of purple loosestrife in your garden.
Is Lythrum Robin Evergreen?
Lythrum ‘Robin’ Lythrum salicaria is a fast growing, evergreen spreading plant. The flowers are cup-shaped. If planted in wet conditions it will spread. ‘Robin’ is extremely long-flowering, with upright flower spikes from late spring to late summer.
When can I transplant Lythrum?
Since the seeds germinate so readily, it might be easiest just to collect seeds for her. Otherwise, divide the clump in the fall or early in the spring and replant the divisions.
What kind of flower is a Lythrum?
Genus Lythrum can be annuals or herbaceous perennials, with simple leaves in opposite pairs and small star-shaped flowers in leafy racemes
How tall does a loosestrife Lythrum plant get?
Lythrum salicaria by Ettore Balocchi. Lythrum alatum – Winged Loosestrife by bob in swamp. Common Names: Loosestrife, Purple Loosetrife, Purple Willow Herb, False grass-poly, Red Sally. Life Cycle: Hardy perennial. Height: 24 to 60 inches (60 to 150 cm). Native: Asia. Australasia. Africa. Europe. Growing Region: Zones 3 to 9.
How tall does a Lythrum salicaria plant grow?
Other names include spiked loosestrife and purple Lythrum . Lythrum salicaria is a herbaceous perennial plant, that can grow 1–2 m tall, forming clonal colonies 1.5 m or more in width with numerous erect stems growing from a single woody root mass.
Is it OK to grow Lythrum in the garden?
They are an invasive species in many areas in Northern America, and growing them is banned in the garden. This is to help with control of these plants in native wetland areas.