Gooseneck loosestrife

URL:

http://www.gardengatemagazine.com/articles/enotes/all/gooseneck-loosestrife/

By: Garden Gate staff

It may produce attractive arched white flowers in late spring to summer, but this aggressive 3-ft.-tall plant can take over your garden quickly.

problem solver

Gooseneck loosestrife Lysimachia clethroides

IDENTIFICATION — It may produce attractive arched white flowers in late spring to summer, but this aggressive 3-ft.-tall plant can take over your garden quickly.

FAVORITE CONDITIONS — Gooseneck loosestrife prefers part shade and moist soil. Dry soil and full sun scorch the foliage and slow down the plant’s growth. It’s cold-hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9 and heat-tolerant in AHS zones 9 to 1.

CONTROL — If you want to grow it, contain the roots in a buried plastic pot. The roots can be hard to pull, so digging any time of year is best. You can also use nonselective herbicides.

A BETTER ALTERNATIVE —Nothing else will have those distinctive arching goose necks, but bluestar will have a similar size and texture. Between 2 to 3 ft. tall with an equal spread, it’ll bloom best in full sun to part shade. The clusters of pale-blue flowers open in late spring. Bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana) is cold-hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9 and heat-tolerant in AHS zones 9 to 1.

Published: Dec. 29, 2009

Tags:

None

Product Recommendations

Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work in the garden. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.