Lythrum salicaria seed
LATIN NAME: Lythrum salicaria
COMMON NAME: Purple Loosestrife
Purple loosestrife is the fine, tall, purple-spiked plant of the wet meadows and the pond-sides, and its long, dense spikes of the small, magenta-purple flowers have made it one of the great waterside plants for a very long time. The tall, upright, many-stemmed plant carries the narrow, willow-like leaves, and the long, dense, terminal spikes of the small, magenta-purple flowers open through the summer, drawing in the bees and the butterflies. The plant is a fine, generous, long-flowering perennial of the moist, open ground. It is a plant of the wet, rich ground.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
Purple loosestrife has a steady and well-documented place in the plant science, and the plant has been studied for its long, dense spikes of the magenta-purple flowers and its place among the waterside perennials. The way the tall, many-stemmed plant rises through the moist ground has been looked into, and the plant keeps showing up in the work on the wetland perennials and the pollen plants of the pond-sides. The narrow, willow-like leaves and the long, dense flower spikes have also made it a fine garden plant, and it is a regular subject of the studies of the waterside wildflowers and the bee plants of the damp regions.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Purple loosestrife is grown for the long, dense spikes of the magenta-purple flowers. The bold, upright spikes are one of the finest sights of the summer pond-side, and they draw in the bees, the butterflies and the hoverflies through a very long season. The plant is a fine, generous addition to the wet border, the pond-side and the rain garden. It spreads freely in the rich, wet ground, so it is best kept to its own moist corner. It has been written about in the ecological papers for its bold, generous flower spikes and its long flowering season, and it is a fine, tall plant of the moist, rich garden.
Purple loosestrife is one of the great waterside perennials, and the long, dense spikes of the magenta-purple flowers are one of the finest sights of the summer pond-side. The tall, many-stemmed plant draws in the bees and the butterflies through a very long season, and it is a fine, generous addition to the moist, open garden.
In the right spot the purple loosestrife is a fine, dependable, long-flowering perennial, and it asks for very little beyond the moist, rich, open ground. The long, dense spikes of the magenta-purple flowers keep the bees and the butterflies busy through a very long season.
To grow the purple loosestrife from seed, sow the fine seeds in trays of moist, free-draining soil, pressing them in without covering them, keep them in a bright, open spot and water gently. The seedlings appear within a couple of weeks and grow on fast. In a moist, rich, open spot, the long, dense spikes of the magenta-purple flowers will be there through the summer.
This plant is a herb, flowering plant and is sometimes used in wildflower mixes. The purple flowers continue through the second part of the summer
It has been used as a herbal treatment and a dye. This plant is very hardy and will grow well in a range of soils including damp areas.
The seed can be sown in the autumn or early spring
Height: 48 inches
Bloom Season: Late spring to early fall
Bloom Color: Carmine rose
Environment: Full sun
Soil Type: Wet, neutral to alkaline soils, pH 6.6 – 8.5
Temperature: 68F – if no germination in 3 – 4 wks, move to 24 – 39F for 2 – 4 weeks
Average Germ Time: 21 – 28 days
Light Required: Yes
Depth: Surface sow, do not cover
Moisture: Keep seeds moist until germination
Plant Spacing: 36 – 72 inches