The bright golden yellow flowers, to which the yellow loosestrife (bot. Lysimachia punctata) owes its name, adorn the garden in early summer. The native, hardy perennial also thrives in difficult locations and is also considered to be extremely easy to care for. The perfect choice for the uncomplicated perennial garden! But be careful: the plant, also known as pennywort or spotted loosestrife, tends to grow rampant quickly.

The yellow loosestrife belongs to the primrose family

Table of Contents

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  1. origin and distribution
  2. use
  3. growth
  4. flowering and flowering time
  5. leaves
  6. fruit
  7. Is yellow loosestrife poisonous?
  8. Which location is suitable?
  9. What soil does the plant need?
  10. sowing and transplanting
  11. Prefer
  12. What is the best planting time?
  13. The right planting distance
  14. culture in the pot
  15. multiply yellow loosestrife
  16. Enclose
  17. Water loosestrife
  18. Fertilize yellow loosestrife properly
  19. How do I plant correctly?
  20. Properly trimming of the yellow loosestrife
  21. hardy
  22. pests
  23. Diseases
  24. Yellow loosestrife does not bloom
  25. sorts

    26. origin and distribution

    Botanically, the yellow loosestrife belongs to the primrose family (Primulaceae) and is very widespread in a wild form in central and southern Europe. This magnificently flowering perennial, which probably originally comes from Turkey or south-eastern Europe, can be found primarily on the banks of rivers and streams as well as on damp meadows. Lysimachia punctata has been cultivated in gardens for several hundred years, from where the very vigorous plant made its way into the wild.

    use

    In the garden, the loosestrife is mainly used in perennial beds, either as a lush, rampant individual planting or in combination with other sun-loving perennials such as cranesbill (Geranium), loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), sedum (Sedum), lady's mantle (Alchemilla), phlox ( phlox), lupine (Lupinus), summer spire (Spiraea) or various ferns. Combinations of different varieties of loosestrife also look very pretty.

    The distinctive perennial is best used wherever other flowering plants have difficulty thriving: the yellow loosestrife is excellently suited to small slopes, nutrient-poor or otherwise difficult locations (e.g. splinter areas) as well as for planting along the edges (e.g. at garden ponds or along groups of trees). blooming oases from unsightly garden patches in no time at all. It is also one of the characteristic flowering perennials of a traditional cottage garden.

    Furthermore, the loosestrife is suitable - especially in combination with different colored summer flowers and grasses - as a durable cut flower for colorful bouquets.

    growth

    It is a perennial, herbaceous perennial that can grow up to 100 centimeters high. Individually placed plants very quickly form offshoots, which are all connected to one another via a common root system. Numerous upright and unbranched stems sprout from the thick roots. Yellow loosestrife grows rampant and quickly covers up bare patches in the garden. However, the strong growth must be stopped by suitable measures, otherwise the robust perennial will crowd out other plants.

    Yellow loosestrife copes very well with root pressure, which is why it is also very suitable for planting under trees and tall stems.

    flowering and flowering time

    The centerpiece of the yellow loosestrife are its bright golden yellow flowers, which appear in abundance and luxuriantly between June and August. The individual flowers sit in groups of three or four comparatively large individual flowers close together in the leaf axils. They form a tiered, large panicle that catches the viewer's eye from afar.

    leaves

    The bright summer green foliage is also lively and arranged in tiers on the stem. The individual, dull leaves have an lanceolate shape with a broad base, are smooth, have entire edges and are rather coarse. The leaves are also longer and wider at the bottom than at the top of the plant, and they get smaller evenly from bottom to top.

    fruit

    In the fall, the yellow loosestrife forms capsule fruits, from which, if you are not careful, large-scale self-sowing takes place. The seeds are also spread by wind and thus reach more distant garden areas - or even the neighbor's garden.

    Is yellow loosestrife poisonous?

    Lysimachia punctata is non-toxic to humans, dogs, cats and other animals and is therefore ideal for the family garden. The herb can only be dangerous for small rodents such as rabbits or guinea pigs, which is why outlets should not be set up in the immediate vicinity of a plantation. However, the small animals usually avoid the plant all by themselves.

    In earlier times, the yellow loosestrife was also used in folk medicine, for example to alleviate or heal inflammation.
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    Which location is suitable?

    Lysimachia punctata feels most comfortable in a sunny to partially shaded location. A lot of sun lets the flowers shine even more, but the perennial also does well in places with less light. But it shouldn't be completely dark: You should choose more suitable plants for the shade.

    What soil does the plant need?

    So that you can enjoy the magnificent flowering shrub all the more, it is best to place them in loose, nutrient-rich, humus-rich and rather moist soil. Whether it is sandy, clayey or loamy, rather light or heavy, does not matter - only the water storage capacity should be well developed. Yellow loosestrife needs a lot of water, which is especially important for sunny locations. However, the plant also tolerates dry phases well for a short time.

    Mulch the soil, such as with a mixture of well-rotted compost and bark mulch, to help the soil retain moisture longer. This not only provides the perennial with nutrients, but also reduces the maintenance effort.

    sowing and transplanting

    Between April and June bring the seeds of the yellow loosestrife to the desired location. Prepare the soil well, loosen it up with a hoe and rake, remove weeds and, if necessary, mix mature compost into the potting soil. After germination, separate the seedlings about 20 centimeters apart.

    Prefer

    Since yellow loosestrife usually germinates very quickly, it is not necessary to prefer it. If you still want to do it, put the plants on the windowsill at the beginning of March and put them in the garden bed after the ice saints. Fall is the best time to plant rooted cuttings.

    What is the best planting time?

    Place young plants in the bed either in autumn or in spring. The only requirement is that there is no ground frost and none is expected for the next few weeks.

    The right planting distance

    There is room for around eight to ten plants per square meter, with a planting distance of around 30 to 40 centimeters at best.

    culture in the pot

    Yellow loosestrife is very suitable for a bucket culture. Choose a pot that is as wide and deep as possible and a nutrient-rich humus-based substrate (alternatively, mix conventional potting soil with compost soil) and ensure an even and balanced supply of water and nutrients. With regard to fertilization, it is basically sufficient to exchange the plant substrate annually with the mixture already mentioned. The loosestrife is a runner-forming deep-rooting plant that requires a correspondingly large amount of space in its planter.

    multiply yellow loosestrife

    Lysimachia punctata is very prolific. The easiest way to reproduce it is to divide groups of plants that have become too large, which you can do in late summer or early autumn. Alternatively, division is also possible in spring. To do this, dig up the plants and divide the rootstocks with a sharp, clean knife or hedge shears.(77.00€) At least two strong shoots should remain per root section.

    Alternatively, you can propagate the yellow loosestrife using the inevitably appearing root suckers, which you carefully dig up and separate from the mother's rootstock. In principle, you can carry out this measure during the entire growth period.

    Enclose

    The strong growth and the tendency to proliferate has already been mentioned several times. In order to prevent uncontrolled spread, containment makes sense. This can be done, for example, from a stone root barrier around the perennial bed. Regular removal of the root suckers also helps to keep the herb within its limits.

    Water loosestrife

    Yellow loosestrife likes it moist, which is why it has to be watered regularly during the summer months in dry locations. An additional water supply is not necessary in naturally damp places, for example on the banks of a pond or stream or on a damp meadow. But be careful: Lysimachia punctata - like so many other perennials - hates waterlogging, leads to root rot, disease and ultimately to the death of the plants.

    Fertilize yellow loosestrife properly

    If the yellow loosestrife is planted out, fertilization is only necessary every two to three years. Mature compost, which may be mixed with lawn clippings and used for mulching, is suitable for this.

    How do I plant correctly?

    Yellow loosestrife is very easy to transplant, which can be done in spring or autumn. On this occasion, you divide rootstocks that have become too large and thus gain more plants.

    Properly trimming of the yellow loosestrife

    If you don't want to get seeds, cut off faded stems in autumn. Take a radical approach and only leave a residue of about a hand's breadth in height. If this measure was missed, the pruning can be made up for in the spring before they sprout.
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    hardy

    Yellow loosestrife is absolutely hardy, which is why special measures are unnecessary in the cold season. Be careful not to water the plant in winter, especially when the temperature is below freezing.

    pests

    The hardy loosestrife is rarely attacked by pests. Only snails find the young and tender shoots very tasty, which is why putting up a snail fence is a sensible measure.

    Caterpillars and plant sap-sucking pests such as aphids are also rarely found on the yellow loosestrife. Plant manure (especially from comfrey or stinging nettles) helps against these uninvited guests, caterpillars should also be collected and severely affected parts of the plant cut back generously and disposed of directly in the household waste.

    Diseases

    Lysimachia punctata also shows great resistance to diseases. Basically, only rot can become a problem. The main reasons for this are locations that are permanently too wet, too cold and/or too dark. If the plant shows signs of rot - for example by seeming to dry up despite apparently sufficient soil moisture or frequent watering and it also smells musty and the soil is moldy - it is sometimes to be removed by digging up, vigorously pruning both the upper parts of the plant and the roots and a relocate to save.

    Wilted, rotten or yellow or brown sections and leaves should always be cut off thoroughly and disposed of with household waste. Such plant parts can contain fungal or other pathogens that would multiply splendidly on the compost and from there infect other garden plants.

    Yellow loosestrife does not bloom

    If the yellow loosestrife does not bloom, there can be various reasons. The most common reason for the lack of flowering is a location that is too dark: Even if it is often claimed that Lysimachia punctata also thrives in the shade, this information should be treated with caution. The perennial needs a lot of sun and warmth for lush flowering, which is why a partially shaded location is necessary.

    The second reason for weak or absent flowering is a substrate that is too poor and therefore a lack of nutrients. However, you can quickly remedy this situation by administering suitable fertilizer. Compost is very suitable for this, but you can also water the loosestrife with a nutrient-rich plant manure made from comfrey, nettles and rock flour (€14.13). This also has the advantage of working much faster than compost.

    tips

    To keep Lysimachia punctata in check in its growth, simply cut off regularly flowering stems close to the ground in the marginal areas. These can be used wonderfully as cut flowers for the vase and are particularly effective in combination with different colored summer flowers, flowering shrubs and grasses.

    sorts

    Lysimachia punctata 'Hometown Hero'

    'Hometown Hero' is a fairly low variant that reaches heights of between just 40 and 70 centimetres. In width, the clump-forming plant reaches a diameter of up to 250 centimeters. The large flowers appear between June and August and are darker yellow in comparison to the wild variety, and the foliage is also a deeper green.

    Lysimachia punctata 'Alexander'

    The most striking feature of this interesting variety is the two-tone white variegated foliage. The variegated leaves form an exciting contrast to the large golden yellow flowers, which appear like the wild form between June and August. This variant grows much less than the species, but is more sensitive to frost. At least in the first few years, 'Alexander' needs a little winter protection, for example by covering the planting area with fir or spruce branches after pruning. The variety reaches an average height of up to 70 centimeters.

    Lysimachia punctata 'Golden Alexander'

    The cultivar 'Golden Alexander' has the same characteristics as 'Alexander', but unlike it has attractive, two-tone gold-edged foliage.

    Lysimachia punctata 'Senior'

    The 'Senior' variety, which grows up to 80 centimeters high, is considered robust and uncomplicated. It is fast-growing, develops a lot of root suckers and is therefore perfect for overgrowing larger areas. Planting up to six plants per square meter is recommended.

    Lysimachia x cultorum 'Candela'

    This is not a variety of the yellow loosestrife, but a white-flowering hybrid. Also known as the fall loosestrife, it displays beautiful white, star-shaped flowers between July and August. The plant reaches a height of between 25 and 40 centimeters, develops numerous root suckers and is therefore often used as a ground cover.

    Lysimachia clethroides, snow loosestrife

    This loosestrife species scores with its pure white, delicate and slightly overhanging inflorescences. The quite large flowers, measuring about ten centimeters diagonally, appear quite late between July and August. The snow loosestrife grows up to 80 centimeters high and 40 centimeters wide, but is significantly slower growing than the golden loosestrife. In addition, Lysimachia clethroides needs a light winter protection.

    Lysimachia ciliata, ciliated loosestrife 'Firecracker'

    This beautiful loosestrife has striking dark red foliage that provides a striking contrast to the bright yellow flowers. The strong-growing leaf ornamental perennial grows up to 80 centimeters high and requires similar location and care conditions as the closely related yellow loosestrife.

Category:

Herbs