Gooseneck Loosestrife???

I just got back from vacation in mid-coast Maine (Bayside Village in Northport, near Belfast and Camden) and fell in love with gooseneck loosestrife. Would appreciate any comments, info, and where I might get me some. I have a big blah weed patch near my driveway and thought it would look great there. Always looking for hassle-free, hardy perennials that grow bushy and fast (any other suggestions?). Already discovered--and LOVE--bee balm (I adore the magenta colored one!) and am seeking nippon daisies (aka Montauk daisies--still can't find them anywhere...saw those on Monhegan Island in Maine...they were SHRUBS!)...thanks everyone! I am just a beginner!

Hi JJ, and welcome! Be careful with the loosestrife. Might not be as much of a problem in your cooler climate, but it is invasive here. I have been trying to get rid of mine for years now - with no luck. It throws out these red runners and it's next to impossible to kill. It is pretty in flower, though.

Hi JJ. Ditto what Victor said. The purple loosestrfe is banned in Massachusetts and many other states. You may try to plant it in a pot then plant the pot in the garden like people do with mint if you really want to try it. Here is some info for you. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/656/

Certainly invasive here especially in the waterway. Its native pest in europe, a wasp, has been imported & is doing a good job in our local river which has problems with a good flow in summer. Having the loosetrife did not help. Some of us would like something that eats lily leaf beetles.

It would fill that patch of yours but doesn't stay blooming long. It is very invasive here if you put it close to any flowers. Bev

Planted these 3 years ago and yes it's filled in nicely. It does take off but i keep them trimmed back and so far so good.

Closer look

Yes, it is pretty planted in mass, but invasive. Make sure you plant it in a large area you need to fill in and don't have any other plants around it, unless they're plants that are bigger, as it will crowd out other smaller, less aggressive plants. It's not the same as the invasive purple loosestrife that chokes the waterways. Different plant. The purple one is Lythrum virgatum and is banned in many places. The gooseneck loosestrife is Lysimachia clethroides, and while it's invasive, it isn't banned, and I'm guessing it's because it doesn't take over wild areas and choke out native species, though I'm sure it quite possibly could.

Karen

How about Joe Pye Weed instead? It is purple & a native plant.

Pixie from South China, Maine-- YES!!! This is what I am looking for! I am NOT interested in the "bad" purple loosestrife at all. I want the gooseneck...they are divine in cut flower bouquets! And where I first saw these was in Maine, in Northport at a cottage I rented in Bayside Village. They did not seem invasive at all. I don't care if they are--I have a big ugly dirt patch that I just cleared of junk (all sorts of thorny vines and crap) that is down the driveway and far away from my "real" garden...I would LOVE to have this gooseneck loosestrife take over! Does anyone know where I can get some plants?

Trust me, JJ, gooseneck loosestrife is an invasive spreader, but if you have a large patch that you want to fill, this will fit the bill.

Iris, I do like the Joe Pye Weed. Very pretty! Mine is just starting to bloom. JJ, you would like them, too.

Karen

jj I love my patch of goose neck loosestrife it is a vigorous plant and you should choose you site wisely but I love mine , it is planted along the back where the lawn meets the woods . Not at all the same as the loosestrife that grows and chokes out wetlands . I love the way it looks in a big patch , all the "goose necks" pointing in the same direction and it is great in a vase too fills in arrangements nicely . Joe pye weed is lovely but hardly a replacement , I mean they are not very much alike
laura

jjgreenleaf, im sure I can spare some. ^_^

I have the gooseneck and it is beautiful, and I just used some in my niece's wedding centerpieces. I plant them in bottomless pots in the ground, away from my main garden, deadhead, and watch carefully for any strays. I did dig up one small plant this year probably from reseeding from a bloom I missed. I bought 1 plant 3 years ago and have now filled 12 pots from the one plant, and could triple that easily if I wanted to. Just make sure the pots are large and deep enough to contain the roots.

Laura, you're right, JPW is certainly not a replacement for GNL, but it is a great plant in its own right, and I just love it. I thing it's a great addition to any garden, especially in a big mass. I was walking at a local park through a big field yesterday, and there were so many gorgeous wildflowers, JPW among them. I picked a large bouquet that included JPW as well as some goldenrod, Queen Ann's Lace and Kiss-Me-Over-The-Garden-Gate.

Karen

OK ID kiss-me-over the garden gate. That is one I don't know. We have several types of golden rod which spring up around the edges of our property & this yr in the garden beds. With all the rain I didn;t get any plants so it is temporarily good filler in the garden. Will pull it in beds I want for other flowers when it finishes bloom.

I agree Karen, I love my JPW too. It is just starting to bloom . It is at least 6 feet tall so I planted it right up next to my sons wheelchair ramp so when we go up and down we can see the top of it along with all the butterflies and bees. I have a portion of my yard that I let just go wild for the native bugs and things . It is amazing how many beautiful flowers are native to our area , I have golden rod ,wild phlox , milk weed , wood asters, ferns , little wild roses, queen anne's lace, polk weed ,neetle's, jewel weed , purslane (sp) and of course mug wort ( and a few I can't remember )
laura

Iris, here is an ID of kiss me over the garden gate (Persicaria orientalis) http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/780/ .

Laura, I just love all the wildflowers around here. I know they're all weeds, too, but some are really pretty. I do like goldenrod a lot, and I do have a lot of it at my place, too.

Karen

Thank you for the information.

You're welcome!

Karen

karen thanks for finding the info looks like a plant i may try of out back!

I do like that plant, though I don't actually have it in my gardens. Not planted intentionally, I should say. There is always some that grows there in different spots on its own.

Karen