Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Ericales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Lysimachia vulgaris
FAMILY
Primulaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Garden Loosestrife may be confused with a less-aggressive look-alike, Spotted Loosestrife (Lysimachia punctata), but that produces single or small clusters of larger flowers in its leaf axils, rather than in a terminal panicle. Read more in the Oregon Department of Agriculture's Plant Pest Risk Assessment.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Lysimachia vulgaris
FAMILY
Primulaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 8 (2009)
Lysimachia vulgaris
COMMON NAME:
Garden Loosestrife
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_lyvu_001_lvd
Rhizomatous perennial likely to be in wetland areas. Can form dense stands, per Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board.
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Masclef, Atlas des plantes de France. 1891 wik_212_l_vulgaris_l
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:212_Lysimachia_vulgaris_L.jpg
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Sturm, Deutschlands Flora in Abbildungen wik_l_vulgaris_sturm09058
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lysimachia_vulgaris_Sturm09058.jpg
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Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org bug_5447894
June
Inflorescences panicles, terminal OR terminal and axillary in distal leaves, per Flora of North America.
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Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org bug_5447899
June
Leaves abaxially glabrescent; veins to 10+ pairs, veinlets prominent, per Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System (GLANSIS).
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Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org bug_5447904
June
Flowers in terminal or axillary panicles, corollas without dark markings, per Vascular Flora of Illinois, 4th ed (Robert Mohlenbrock).
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Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org bug_5447916
Month Unknown
Stems and leaves are soft and hairy, per Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board.
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Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org bug_5447919
Month Unknown
Calyx lobes with longitudinal maroon resin canals along margins, per Flora of North America.
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Lysimachia vulgaris
FAMILY
Primulaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Lysimachia vulgaris
FAMILY
Primulaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 8
Lysimachia vulgaris
3897
Forb
Perennial
Habitat: Disturbed bottomlands, marshes, disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: Europe
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group
- Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System
- Oregon Dept of Agriculture
- Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board
- Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources
LEAVES:
Simple
Whorled, opposite or subopposite
RHIZOMES? STOLONS?
Rhizomatous, forming dense stands
FLOWER:
Summer
Yellow
sometimes with reddish-brown centers
Radially symmetrical
5 sepals
5 petals
5 stamens
Flowers in terminal or axillary panicles
FRUIT:
Summer?
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".