Lysimachia ciliata var. purpurea, Fringed Loosestrife


The red-green leaved sport of Fringed Loosestrife.

The maroon-colored leaves of this sport of common Fringed Loosestrife are what set this apart from Lysimachia ciliata. If staying true to your Minnesota county native species, the purple-leaf variety won't be the right selection. For that, you want straight up Lysimachia ciliata.

The purple-leaved variety is in many sunny-pt sunny gardens where its habit of running about via rhizomes is frowned upon. Lysimachia ciliata, red or green leaved, is a wetland plant for part shade to mostly shade, where its community of plants tend to keep it in check. We simply don't look at masses of plants the same way in a wetland community as we do in the traditional garden. In gardens, we often seek control, and certain plants put that control to the test. Fringed Loosestrife is one of them! If you must have it in your garden, I've found that drier soil and shade helps keep it contained, and a root barrier can do wonders. It also stays purple-leaved longer in the shade.

Blooms: yellow, June into August
Height: 2 to 3 feet
Conditions: part shade to dappled shade, moist to medium

More sun and warmer temps can shift maroon leaves toward green.