Lythrum salicaria

Flowers: August-October.  Plant in sun or part shade.  HxS: 1mx80cm

This plant is a cultivated form of Purple Loosestrife which is tolerant of many growing conditions, but performs best in boggy soil or shallow water.  Tall, willowy foliage is topped with multiple spires of small rosy-red flowers in late summer and early autumn.  An excellent bee, moth and butterfly plant.  Native, it can seed about so remove seedheads after flowering to contain it if necessary.  Organically grown in peat free compost. Pot size 1.5 litre.

Care and maintenance.

It is benefical to cut back the very tall stems by half in autumn.  Remove the remainder of the old foliage in spring and split plants every three or four years to maintain vigour.  Loosestrifes can be divided after flowering or you can collect and sow seed.  If using as a marginal plant shallowly in up to 8cm/3″ of water.