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Herbaceous Perennial

Lysimachia ephemerum

willow-leaved loosestrife

A spreading, herbaceous perennial forming a clump of upright stems clad in narrow, grey-green leaves. Small, long-lasting starry white flowers in long, slender terminal racemes appear in early summer, followed by brown seedheads for winter interest

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Clay

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Poorly–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

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)

Botanical details

Family: Primulaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Lysimachia are herbaceous or evergreen perennials with simple leaves and star-shaped, cupped or bowl-shaped flowers in terminal racemes or panicles, or solitary in leaf axils
Name status: Correct
Plant range: S W Europe, Morocco

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in humus-rich, preferably moist but well-drained soil that does not dry out in summer, in full sun or part shade

Propagation

Propagate by seed in containers outdoors in spring. Divide in spring or autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Tidy after flowering and cut down dead foliage in late winter or early spring

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and snails

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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