Lythrum salicaria - Purple Loosestrife

Family:	Lythraceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	1
Width:	0.5
Synonyms:
Range:	Europe, including Britain, south to N. Africa east to western and northern Asia. N. America..

Lythrum salicaria (Purple Loosestrife) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 1m and a width of 0.5m . It has a hardness rating of 3.
Purple Loosestrife will flower in December to February. the seeds ripen from February to March
The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Bees, flies

Soil Information

Purple Loosestrife will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Purple Loosestrife prefers soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Purple Loosestrife can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Reed swamps, fens and marshes, avoiding acid soils[17].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Is a pond plant
• A bog garden plant

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in ordinary garden soil, especially if it is damp[1]. Prefers a neutral to alkaline soil[238]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Grows well in marshy soils[24] and succeeds in shallow water at the edges of ponds[56]. Succeeds in full sun or partial shade[188]. A very hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to at least -25°c[187]. This species can be very invasive and has been declared a noxious weed in some countries. Since being introduced in N. America it has invaded native marshlands, florming large areas of dense stands and crowding out many native species[274]. A very ornamental plant[1]. A good bee and butterfly plant[24]. Plants usually self-sow when well sited[200].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 2/5
Leaves - cooked[13, 46, 61, 105]. Rich in calcium[179]. Root - cooked[13]. An edible dye is obtained from the flowers[13].

• Colouring - edible dyes
• Leaves -
• Root - includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 3/5
Purple loosestrife is an astringent herb that is mainly employed as a treatment for diarrhoea and dysentery. It can be safely taken by people of all ages and has been used to help arrest diarrhoea in breast-feeding babies[254]. It can also be used to treat heavy periods and inter-menstrual bleeding[254]. Modern research has shown the whole plant to be antibiotic and to be particularly effective against the micro-organism that causes typhus[254]. The flowering plant is antibiotic, highly astringent, hypoglycaemic, styptic and vulnerary[4, 7, 9, 21, 152, 218, 238]. It is valued as an intestinal disinfectant, especially in cases of enteritis[7], an infusion is used internally in the treatment of diarrhoea, internal bleeding, excessive menstruation etc[9, 222, 238]. The flowering plant is harvested in the summer and can be used fresh or dried[9]. Externally, the plant is used as a cleansing and healing wash for wounds, sores, impetigo, eczema, excess vaginal discharge, vaginal itching etc[7, 222, 238, 254]. The powdered plant is used as a haemostatic in cases of severe nosebleeds[7]. The stems are regarded as gum stimulators and are given to children to chew in order to strengthen weak or bleeding gums[7].

• Antibiotic - An agent that inhibits or destroys a living organism. It usually refers to bacteria or other micro-organisms and is probably synonymous with Antibacterial
• Astringent - Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
• Hypoglycaemic - Reduces the levels of sugar in the blood.
• Styptic - An astringent that stops bleeding by contracting the blood vessels.
• Vulnerary - Promotes the healing of wounds.

Propagation

Seed - sow in the autumn or the spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. If you have sufficient seed it could be worthwhile trying a sowing in situ in the autumn or the spring. Division in March or October[188]. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring. Basal cuttings in the spring[238]. Harvest the shoots with plenty of underground stem when they are about 8 - 10cm above the ground. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

A decoction of the plant is impregnated into wood, rope etc to prevent it rotting in water[74]. The leaves contain about 12% tannin, the stems 10.5%, the flowers 13.7% and the roots 8.5%[218]. It is probably these tannins that preserve the wood etc[218]. The powdered plant is used cosmetically in face-packs to counteract reddened skin[7].

• Cosmetic - Used to improve the physicalappearence of a person.
• Dye - Plants that provide dyes.
• Preservative - For food, or for treating wood, ropes etc.
• Tannin - An astringent substance obtaied from plants, it is used medicinally, as a dye and mordant, stabilizer in pesticide etc.
• Teeth - Plants used to clean and care for the teeth.

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Flora of the British Isles.
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Author: Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Rating:
Publisher : A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
Date of Publication : 1962

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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