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Lythrum salicaria

purple loosestrife

RHS Plant Shop from £6.99 Sold by 33 nurseries

  • Other common names purple loosestrife
    black blood

    long purples
    purple grass
    rainbow weed
    red Sally
    rose loosestrife
    rosy strip
    sage willow
    soldiers
    spiked loosestrife
    willow weed

    see more

  • Synonyms Lythrum salicaria var. gracile

  • Family Lythraceae

  • Genus Lythrum can be annuals or herbaceous perennials, with simple leaves in opposite pairs and small star-shaped flowers in leafy racemes

  • Details L. salicaria is a robust herbaceous perennial with upright stems to 1.2m tall, clad in narrow, willowy leaves, and small vivid purplish-pink flowers 2cm wide in dense terminal spikes over a long period in summer

  • Plant range Old World

Characteristics

  • Foliage Deciduous

  • Habit Bushy

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H7

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Aspect South-facing or East-facing

  • Exposure Exposed or Sheltered

Soil

  • Clay

    Clay

  • Loam

    Loam

  • MoisturePoorly-drained

  • SoilClay, Loam

  • pHAcid, Neutral, Alkaline

Size

  • Ultimate height 1-1.5 metres

  • Ultimate spread 0.1-0.5 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 2-5 years

How to grow

Cultivation Grow in any reliably moist soil in full sun

Propagation Propagate by division in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types Flower borders and beds Cottage & Informal Garden Wildlife Gardens Wildflower meadow

How to care

Pruning Deadhead after flowering to prevent self-seeding

Pests May be damaged by slugs and snails

Diseases Generally disease free

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RHS Plants Shop

Lythrum salicaria

purple loosestrife

Buy from £6.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

Buy from £6.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

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