1 named cultivar

‘Atropurpurea’Purple-leaf Loosestrife

perennialN. America Native

Fringed Loosestrife

The Story

Plant Bio

Lysimachia ciliata, fringed loosestrife, is an upright spreading perennial native across Canada and the United States, growing one to four feet tall. Nodding yellow flowers about an inch across, each with a reddish eye, hang from slender stalks through summer. Paired opposite leaves carry distinctive fine hairs along the leaf stalks, which is where the name comes from.

The flowers offer oil rather than nectar, and they are the sole food source for the specialist Macropis bee, which collects that oil to line its nest — remove the plant and the bee has nothing else to visit. It spreads steadily by rhizome in damp ground, so it belongs in naturalised planting rather than a tightly controlled border.

Uses & Benefits:

Nodding yellow flowers with red centres held above neat paired foliage through summer.

Fills damp difficult ground quickly where drier-soil perennials fail.

The sole food plant of oil-collecting Macropis bees, which visit no other genus.

Essentials

At a Glance

Plant Type

Perennial

Height

30 inches

Width

24 inches

Light

Full Sun, Partial Sun, Shade

Zones

4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Water

Moderate to high

Humidity

Moderate

Lifespan

Perennial

Native To

Canada and the United States

Toxicity

Non-toxic

Planting

How to Grow

Plant in spring in moist, humus-rich soil.
Choose full sun to partial shade.
Allow room to spread, or contain the roots.
Keep the soil consistently moist through summer.
Divide every few years to control the clump.
Cut spent stems back in late winter.

Pro Tip

Give it damp ground where spreading is welcome; in a rich moist border it will travel further than you intended.

Keep It Thriving

Care Guide

Do

Keep the soil consistently moist 💧
Use it in naturalised and damp planting 🌱
Divide every few years to limit spread ✂️
Leave it for the specialist Macropis bees 🐝

Don't

Plant it in a small tidy border unrestrained ❌
Let it dry out in summer ❌
Spray the flowers; they feed an oil-specialist bee ❌

Seasonal Care Calendar

Task	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Divide
Prune

Watch Out For

Pests & Diseases

Common Pests

Common Diseases

In the Garden

Landscape Uses & Companions

Landscape Uses

Damp meadow and naturalised plantingPond edge and rain gardenPollinator border in moist ground

Companion Plants

Joe Pye Weed Swamp Milkweed Blue Flag Iris Soft Rush Cardinal Flower

Multiply

Propagation Methods

Good to Know

Common Questions

Fringed Loosestrife questions

What zones can Fringed Loosestrife grow in?

Fringed Loosestrife is hardy in USDA Zones 4–9. Inside that range it survives winter in the ground; outside it, grow it as an annual or a container plant you protect.

Is Fringed Loosestrife deer resistant?

Yes — Fringed Loosestrife is rated deer-resistant. Deer typically pass it over, though extreme hunger can override any plant's defenses.

When does Fringed Loosestrife bloom?

Fringed Loosestrife typically blooms in summer through late summer. Exact timing shifts a week or two with your zone — Sow's bloom calendar maps it to your garden.

Does Fringed Loosestrife need full sun?

Fringed Loosestrife does best in full sun to part shade. In hot climates, afternoon shade keeps blooms fresher longer.