fringed loosestrife

Lysimachia ciliata

Fringed loosestrife is a pretty plant with yellow flowers that bloom in summer. It grows tall and has soft, fringed leaves that look like they are waving in the breeze.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The fringed loosestrife has distinct bright yellow, star-shaped flowers with delicate, frilly edges, giving them a unique fringed appearance. Its leaves grow in whorls around a smooth, often purplish stem, distinguishing it from other meadow plants.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderEricalesFamilyPrimulaceaeGenusLysimachia

fringed loosestrife

Interesting facts

Ancient people believed this plant could 'loose' (release) arguments, hence its common name!

Its scientific name, Lysimachia, is thought to honor an ancient Greek king, Lysimachus!

Look closely for tiny black dots on its leaves – they are special glands!

This plant is sometimes called 'whorled loosestrife' because its leaves grow in circles!

Special abilities

The fringed loosestrife has unique fringed petals that give its bright yellow flowers a distinctive, frilly look.

The fringed loosestrife can produce sweet nectar on its leaves to attract helpful ants for protection against pests.

The fringed loosestrife can spread quickly using underground stems called rhizomes, helping it form dense colonies.

Measurements & details

Height: 60-150 cm
Spread: 30-60 cm
Flower Size: 1-2 cm
Bloom Season: Summer
Edible: No
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

European honey bee

Apis mellifera

gathers nectar from its flowers

pollinates

Common Eastern Bumble Bee

Bombus impatiens

crucial for plant reproduction

eaten by

White-tailed deer

Odocoileus virginianus

its leaves are a food source

eaten by

Eastern cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

rabbits sometimes browse it

Traits

Deciduous

Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Summer Blooming

Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.