Lythrum

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Daisy

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Lythrum
« on: September 06, 2012, 07:53:01 AM »
It has grown too tall and is now out of scale with my little pond, but, Lythrum salicaria has been flowering since May ;D
It is very sturdy and windproof.
The bees and hoverflies love it.
It just keeps putting out more and more flowers.
I am so pleased with it, that I have just ordered Lythrum salicaria Blush
and Lythrum virgatum Dropmore Purple. ;D ;D ;D
Daisy :)

Amateur gardener, who has gardened in Surrey and Cornwall, England, but now has a tiny garden facing north west, near the coast in north east Crete. It is 300 meters above sea level. On a steep learning curve!!! Member of both MGS and RHS

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Alisdair

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Re: Lythrum
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2012, 08:57:33 AM »
Lythrum salicaria, purple loosestrife, is a delightful plant and as you say bees and butterflies love it. We find it pretty invasive here in our UK garden (it is a British native), and unwanted self-seedlings need to be pulled out when young, as they quickly develop a very strong rootstock.
But presumably in the drier-summer conditions of the Mediterranean, there isn't that problem?
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

Umbrian

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Re: Lythrum
« Reply #2 on: September 07, 2012, 06:25:16 AM »
I have not tried Lythrum here since, knowing it is a moisture loving plant and I do not irrigate my garden once things are established, I did not think it would succeed. However I was interested to notice that it thrives on the edges of fields in our valley used for the cultivation of tobacco which is regularly and heavily irrigated during its growing season. Here it makes a lovey splash of colour every summer.
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

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JTh

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Re: Lythrum
« Reply #3 on: September 07, 2012, 09:55:42 AM »
They grow in the olive fields near us as well, no irrigation, but I suspect there must be some moisture there. It would be nice to have them in the garden, but I don't know if they would survive. I wonder if I got the correct species of those in this old photo though, they seem to be bigger, especially the leaves, but what else could it be?
« Last Edit: September 07, 2012, 09:57:47 AM by JTh »
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.