Lysimachia clethroides

Lysimachia clethroides: Arching White Spikes Like a Flock of Geese

Gooseneck Loosestrife has white flower spikes that all curve and lean the same way, like a flock of geese listening to the same gossip. Then the leaves blush red in fall. EVERYBODY LOOK LEFT.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Lysimachia clethroides
• Common Name: Gooseneck Loosestrife
• Height: 60–90 cm (2–3 ft)
• Spread: 75–90 cm (30–36 in), spreading wider over time by underground runners
• Flowers: Tiny white flowers on tapering spikes that curve over at the tip, all leaning the same way
• Bloom Time: Midsummer to early fall (July to September)
• Foliage: Lance-shaped green leaves that often turn red or orange in fall, especially in sun
• Features: Rabbit resistant, good cut flower, handles moist and clay soils, RHS Award of Garden Merit

Where to Plant: It suits large, informal beds, damp spots, pond and stream edges you control, and areas where you want a fast, full planting, or a bed all its own. Keep it out of natural wetlands, as it can escape there, and cut the arching spikes for vases.

Companion Plants: Filipendula 'Venusta' rises to 180 to 240 cm with pink plumes from June to August and enjoys the same moist soil. Astrantia 'Star of Fire' adds burgundy flowers at 60 cm from June to August, a rich foil for the white gooseneck spikes. Polemonium 'Heavenly Habit' stays low at 25 to 30 cm with violet flowers from May to July. Grow the group in full sun or part sun.

Plant Care: Plant it in average to moist, humus-rich soil. It handles clay well. In full sun, keep it watered so it doesn't dry out. Drier soil and part shade slow down its spread. Plan for its runners. A root barrier, a container sunk in the ground, or a bed edged by paving keeps it in place. Divide it in spring every few years and give away or compost the extras. It's late to wake up in spring, so mark its spot. Cut it back in late fall or early spring.

History: Lysimachia clethroides is native to China, Korea and Japan, and its species name means like Clethra, the summersweet shrub, whose white flower spikes look similar. It has been grown in Western gardens for well over a century and holds the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Final Thoughts: Clay soil? Damp spot? It's in. Plant a patch and let the whole gaggle turn heads. HONK IF YOU LOVE IT.