Name: Lysimachia punctata aka circle flower or yellow loosestrife.
Type of Plant: A very hardy perennial for sunny gardens that flowers in late-June into July. In drier soils the stalks grow to about 20” tall, while in wetter ground it can be up to three feet.
Why I Love This Plant: I love this perennial because it’s fairly weed-smothering, and flowers in the gap between the peonies and the daylilies. I also love the fact that it is a cheerful cut flower and looks good in early summer bouquets.
A Word to the Wise: Most plants in the genus Lysimachia are vigorous…some to the point of being aggressive thugs. (Gooseneck loosestrife, for example. Beware.) This one does spread, although not as vigorously in poorer soils or dryer conditions. Nevertheless, plant this perennial either in larger areas or in a wildflower-meadow type space.
After this perennial stops blooming, shear it down by half. That removes the spent flowers and causes some new growth of foliage, so that it looks decent enough the rest of the summer. You can also cut it to the ground if it has dried up and isn’t attractive.
Although another common name for this plant is “yellow loosestrife” it is not in the same genus as the invasive purple loosestrife. This is where common names fail us.
Lysimachia punctata is often a “pass along plant” since it spreads and so people have it to give away. Of such plants, it’s a pretty good one when planted in the right location. Also known as circle flower, this perennial is good for bouquets of cut flowers.
I grow this plant on the edge of a perennial garden where it can smother weeds but not be in such a prime location or moist soil that it will take over.
This is a beautiful plant found in a ditch in front of my house is beautiful, but I am afraid of it. I don’t know much about it. I would love to put it in my God will it grow without being evasive
Linda – if your definition of an invasive plant is one that spreads, you don’t want any Lysimachia. That’s not my definition of invasive, however. Most horticulturalists view “invasive” as a plant that spreads by seeds (appears blocks or even miles from the original planting) and chokes out native plants. This doesn’t do that. Yes, it spreads. Yes, if you have a small area, you’ll have to put in periodic work to edit it and keep it where you want it to grow.
I’d love to have this in my garden but can’t find it in the USA….where do you get it?
I’ve seen this for sale on Etsy.