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Lysimachia clethroides (Gooseneck loosestrife)

Photo/Illustration: Courtesy of Bluestone Perennials

(Based on 4 user reviews)

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Hardiness Zones:

Botanical Name: Lysimachia clethroides lye-sih-MAK-ee-ah kleth-ROY-deez

Common Name: Gooseneck loosestrife Genus: Lysimachia

This vigorous grower has attractive, smooth, narrowly oval pointed leaves are mid-green above, pale green beneath. Tiny saucer-shaped white blossoms are produced in dense, tapered terminal spikes, 4 to 8 inches long, that curve gracefully over and down, from July to September. Leaves turn to rich gold in autumn.
Care: Grow in rich, moist but well-drained soil that does not dry out in summer. May need support. Control vigorous habit by digging up new shoots.
Propagation: Divide in spring or autumn.
Problems: Rust and leaf spot.

Overview
User Reviews
Photos

Height	1 ft. to 3 ft.
Spread	1 ft. to 3 ft.
Growth Habit	Spreads
Growth Pace	Invasive/Aggressive Grower
Light	Full Sun to Part Shade
Moisture	Medium to Wet
Characteristics	Showy Flowers
Bloom Time	Fall; Summer
Flower Color	White Flower
Uses	Beds and Borders, Naturalizing, Waterside
Style	Meadow Garden, Formal Garden
Seasonal Interest	Summer Interest, Fall Interest
Type	Perennials

Rate this plant

posted by debbiandy
9/22/2012
Region: Northeast
Zone: 7

Vigorous grower that needs little care, other than restraining its takeover of the world. Cut to the ground in November, and you'll have bright green shoots from March, with a stunning 30" high display of white spires from June through early Sept. OK with 3 hrs + in the sun, and seems very tolerant of sporadic watering, with little nourishment. Just restrain those roots - spreads as fast as mint.

posted by terroir
1/9/2010
Region: Midwest
Zone: 5

This was very hard to eradicate from my old garden. Anything that runs underground has to be carefully situated, in my experience. If planted as a mass planting, alone, it would likely be fine, but in a bed, it will swallow its neighbors!

posted by ejmaffei
11/14/2008
Region: Northeast
Zone: 7

A wonderful trouper of a plant. Reports of its invasiveness are greatly exagerrated. The plant does spread VERY agressively via runners, but it is quite shallow-rooted any easy to pull out when it oversteps its bounds. (I have seen no self-seeding.) A small grouping of two or three plants quickly merges into a lovely small meadow of late-blooming, 2-1/2 ft stalks with flowers that last a month and more. Great for filling large empty areas quickly and thickly. Also a terrific, pretty cut flower for filling out arrangements. Likes always-moist soil. Thrives in full sun to partial shade.

posted by Jootsey
7/24/2008
Region: Midwest
Zone: 4

While the flowers and foliage are very interesting, I have had a hard time keeping it under control. It spreads very aggresively via long thick red runners.

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