Lysimachia, Purple Fringed Loosestrife 'Purpurea'

I've admired the dark maroon spring foliage of this plant, though it tends to fade to green as the season progresses. The yellow summer f...Read Morelowers are small but not unattractive. This is a common pass along plant here.

However, this is not a good neighbor to other plants in a mixed border. It spreads aggressively underground by shallow rhizomes and easily overwhelms its neighbors unless it receives regular attention and maintenance. A root barrier could be used to reduce maintenance. I would recommend planting it in a sunken 10 gal (or larger) container with the bottom cut out.

The species is native to most of North America, from Alaska to Florida, and no threat to wild areas here. In the garden, it's a thug.

As gardener's, we've ALL heard that phrase: "A weed is a plant growing where you didn't plant it." I'm a landscape architect and 15 years...Read More ago, I planted Lysimachia ciliata "Purpurea" in two clients gardens...and I have mixed opinions about it. In garden A) after 10 years of being VERY well behaved, it took over the entire perennial garden one Spring! However, both my client and I didn't have the heart to tear any of it out, as the garden had NEVER looked better! The 200 tulips I had planted the year before were intermixed with vibrant purple leaves, making the over-all viewing one that rivaled Monet's gardens...and I've been to Giverny. After the tulips had all bloomed and been dug out (so new ones could be planted the following year), we both agreed to dig out 1/2 of the Lysimachia. Now, 5 years later, this is the standard M.O. for this garden: dig out where it's not wanted, prune back the tall ones in the foreground, and then allow it to intermingle with the remaining garden. It works spectacularly. That's a 5 star garden! Now, B) the other garden I planted it in, there is NOTHING remaining except Ostrich ferns and L. c. "Purpurea". That's a 2 star rating...or is it? I've cared for this garden for 20 years, and actually introduced some of the L. c. from the 1st client's garden, over 12 years ago. However, this client has allowed their mulberry tree to overgrow and kill off their entire garden, so 99% of the perennials I had growing in the bed have been shaded out. I must admit, the virtual sea of Lysimachia with the Ferns is stunning and we now use it as a back drop to pots of coleus and begonias, so I guess it IS a 5 star planting. But, it's clear that if left alone, it will take over where other plants fail. By the way, my client is one of those nasty "tree huggers" that believes that trimming a tree goes against the rules of Nature. No educating her about the health and insurance costs of damage will change her mind. Oh well, it's not my liability and as long as she's okay with going from 12 hours of sunlight to none, I'm okay with it.

I agree - quite invasive - they may seem behave themselves the first few years then they grow out of control. They have rhizomes about a ...Read Morefoot in average, maybe longer that shoots in all directions. The only good thing is that the rhizomes are not that deep - about 3 to 5 inches deep.

Texas heat plus moist location = invasive!