Lysimachia ciliata
A native perennial forb with long rhizomes that bears yellow, nodding flowers on erect stems and occurs in moist habitats such as streambanks, swamps, and pond margins across much of the United States.
Common Names
Fringed Loosestrife, Fringed Yellow Loosestrife, Hairy Loosestrife
Summary
Fringed loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata) is a North American native perennial with erect, mostly unbranched stems reaching 1–4 feet tall, arising from creeping rhizomes. It has opposite leaves with petioles conspicuously ciliate, giving a fringed appearance, and bears nodding yellow five-petaled flowers from the upper leaf axils; flowers attract bees and other pollinators. The plant inhabits moist to wet habitats such as stream banks, swamps, wetlands, and pond margins, forming a clump in suitable conditions. It tolerates full sun to light shade and moist to wet loamy soil rich in organic matter, with best performance in consistently moist conditions; hardy in USDA zones 3–9. It reproduces by seed and rhizomes and can be propagated by division or seed; it can naturalize and is well suited for rain gardens, pond margins, streamsides, and wild garden settings.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
12-48 inches
Spread
2-3 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3-9
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally Full Sun to Partial Shade, Partial Sun and Partial Shade are acceptable options, Full Shade is not offered.
Soil Type
Moist, loamy soil
Soil Drainage
Moist but well-drained soil.
Soil pH
6.5, Acid to neutral soils, Tolerates a wide pH range from below 6.0 up to 8.0
Bloom Color
Yellow
Bloom Time
Summer to Fall
Foliage Color
Green (dark green on the upper surface and light green on the undersurface)
Fall Foliage Color
Burgundy
Leaf Lifecycle
Deciduous
Growth Rate
Fast
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Division (via creeping rhizomes), Stem cuttings
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees and birds
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- L.
- Publication
- Sp. Pl. : 147 (1753)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Ericales
- Family
- Primulaceae
- Genus
- Lysimachia
Synonyms
Lysimachia grandiflora Lysimachia greeneana Steironema ciliatum Steironema pumilum Steironema ciliatum Steironema pumilum var. longipedicellatum Nummularia ciliata Steironema membranaceum Lysimachia longipedicellata Steironema longipedicellatum Lysimachia membranacea Steironema ciliatum f. elongatum Steironema ciliatum var. occidentale Steironema ciliatum var. heterophyllum