Winged Loosestrife – Lythrum alatum (3.25″ pot)

Description

This native plant is similar to the exotic invasive, Purple Loosestrife, Lytrum salicaria. But Winged Loosestrife does not threaten our North American wetlands. It is an important native that loves to grow in wet-mesic prairies, meadows, marshes, and around bodies of water. It is now vulnerable to its invasive relative Purple Loosestrife, and, because they look very similar, many people are not able to differentiate between them and end up destroying Winged Loosestrife.

Winged Loosestrife plants are not as showy as Purple Loosestrife and are smaller, with winged stems. Winged Loosestrife has singlular purple-magenta flowers that bloom on shorter stalks, arising from a leaf axil. The petals have a dark purple mid-vein coloration that resemble wrinkled tissue paper.

Perennial; hardy in zones 3-8.

Full Sun – wet soil.

Height to 3 feet

Blooms all summer.