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Herbaceous Perennial

Lythrum virgatum 'Joy'

wand loosestrife 'Joy'

A clump-forming perennial with strongly upright, branching stems to 50cm tall, clad with narrowly lance-shaped green leaves. Spikes of soft pink, star-shaped flowers, are produced from June to August. Happy in damp soil beside a pond

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 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 shade
Partial shade

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: Lythraceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Lythrum can be annuals or herbaceous perennials, with simple leaves in opposite pairs and small star-shaped flowers in leafy racemes
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in any reliably moist or even wetter soil in full sun to part shade

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Wildflower meadow
Wildlife gardens
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Deadhead after flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and snails

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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