Leaf
Wouter Hagens, Wikimedia · Domaine public
Purple loosestrife
Lythrum salicaria L.
Family: Lythraceae
60 cm to 1.2 m tall
Riverbanks, wetlands, reedbeds
Flowering: June – September
Full sun
Part shade
Hardy to -15°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Long, erect pinkish-purple spikes that colour the banks in summer, often in large colonies.
🍃 Leaves
Opposite or whorled, lanceolate, without a petiole, reminiscent of willow leaves
🌸 Flowers
Bright pinkish-purple, in long, dense erect spikes
🍎 Fruits
Small capsules with many seeds
🪵 Bark
Erect herbaceous stem, four-angled
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, temperate Asia; very common in wetlands, banks and ditches in France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Long pinkish-purple spikes, very nectar-rich, among the most visited by bees, bumblebees and butterflies in summer.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Pond margins, damp borders, naturalistic gardens; abundant and long-lasting summer flowering.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity.
🌿 Other Lythraceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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