Lysimachia punctata
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- lis-ih-MAK-ee-ah punk-TAY-tah
- Description
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Dotted loosestrife is an herbaceous, perennial flower in the Primulaceae (primrose) family. It is native to Asia and southern/central Europe. It was introduced into North America for ornamental gardens but has naturalized widely in the U.S. and Canada in damp, sunny areas such as ditches, meadows, roadsides and stream banks. It is a tall, erect, rhizomatous plant reaching 3 feet in height, forming large mounding colonies with attractive whorled leaves. A spike of yellow flowers with an orange-red center blooms from late spring to fall. It is best utilized as a naturalized groundcover in wild gardens or remote beds or borders where aggressive, unwanted spread into lawns or other perennial beds is not a concern. It primarily spreads through rhizomes but may also self-seed. This plant prefers rich, moist, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Growth is less aggressive in dry, shady soils.
The species name means spotted.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Davidson County Extension Demonstration Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Lysimachia
- Species:
- punctata
- Family:
- Primulaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eastern Central & South Eastern Europe to Northern Iran, Asia
- Distribution:
- U.S. (AL, AR, CO, CT, DE, D.C., FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NJ, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY); Canada
- Wildlife Value:
- Members of the genus Lysimachia support the following specialized bees: Macropis (Macropis) ciliata, Macropis (Macropis) patellata, and Macropis (Macropis) steironematis.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
- Colorful
- Easy to Grow
- Textural
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cup
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Cup-shaped, 1-inch flowers have 5 bright yellow petals with an orange-red center. Petals have fine hairs. Flowers are arranged on spikes and bloom on short pedicles in the leaf axis from May to September.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Velvety
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The lance to ovate shaped leaves are up to 3 inches long and grow in whorls of 3-4 leaves.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Pool/Hardscape
- Riparian
- Slope/Bank
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Children's Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Rain Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Weedy
