Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) with a small whit butterfly sitting on the flowers

Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). Attractive to butterfly and moth

Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)

Name: Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
SKU: LYTSAL
Availability: InStock

Price range: £10.00 through £35.00

Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is a tall, native wildflower with striking purple-pink spikes that bloom all summer.

Loved by bees, butterflies, and moths, it’s perfect for pond edges and damp soils, adding colour and wildlife value to any garden!

Size

Clear

SKU: LYTSAL Categories: Damp/Bog Gardens, Garden, Garden Plants, Marginal, Pond Plants Tags: Bog Garden, Flowering, Full Sun, Marginal, Moth and Butterfly, Native, Pollinators, RHS PFP

Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is a stunning native wildflower that brings vibrant colour and life to pond edges, boggy areas, and damp gardens. Tall, willowy stems rise up to 1.2m, topped with dense spikes of vivid purplish-pink flowers from June to August.

These eye-catching blooms are a magnet for pollinators, providing a rich nectar source for bees, butterflies (including brimstones), bumblebees, and even elephant hawk-moths. Perfect for naturalising near water, its upright form adds beautiful structure while supporting a wealth of wildlife.

Whether planted in moist soil or at the shallow margins of a pond, this hardy perennial is a must-have for any wildlife-friendly garden.

Details

Native: Yes
Sun: Full sun
Depth: 0 – 5cm
Height max: 120cm
Spread max: 60cm
RHS PFP: Yes
RHG AGM: No

Care Instructions

Purple Loosestrife thrives in reliably moist soil or shallow pond margins, in full sun.

Plant directly in damp ground or in a pond basket, and mulch with compost in spring.

After flowering, cut back faded stems in late summer or autumn. Divide clumps in spring to propagate.

Repotting Instructions

Can also be planted in very wet soil – do not allow to dry out.

9cm marginal plants require potting into a mesh basket. Place in a pond no deeper than 1/3 maximum recommended planting depth to allow the plants to establish.

1ltr marginal plants do not require repotting but will benefit from a bigger basket, there is no need to remove the mesh basket. Place in pond no deeper than 1/2 maximum recommended planting depth to allow the plants to establish. Plants over 60cm height growth will benefit from repotting into a larger mesh basket or should be planted in gravel to prevent them from falling over in a breeze.

3ltr and 5ltr plants do not require repotting; there is no need to remove the mesh basket. Place on the shelf of the pond at the required depth.