Fringed Loosestrife, Lysimachia ciliata L., Native Minnesota Wildflower plant, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

A plant of shady areas, this tall erect perennial (1 to 4') the five-part yellow flowers with a reddish eye at the center. Flowers are up to 1" wide, are on long stalks and solitary from the leaf axils, somewhat nodding, and the petals at the tip have a point, or tooth; the green sepals are narrow and have 3 to 5 parallel reddish-brown veins. The leaves are opposite, egg shaped and on stalks that have fine hair, hence the name "fringed". At maturity a single round berry is formed. Numerous plants will be found along Violet Way blooming in early July. The genus name is from the Greek for either king Lysimachus or from lysis meaning "a release from" and mache is for "strife". The legend is that Lysimachus, king of Sicily, was walking through a field. A bull chased him. He grabbed a loosestrife plant, waved it in front of the bull and it calmed the bull. In general then, both the common and the generic name refers to a supposed power to sooth animals or "loose" them of their "strife".

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Fringed Loosestrife	Lysimachia ciliata L.	Primrose (Primulaceae)	Woodland	Early to Late Summer
Other names and notes	A plant of shady areas, this tall erect perennial (1 to 4') the five-part yellow flowers with a reddish eye at the center. Flowers are up to 1" wide, are on long stalks and solitary from the leaf axils, somewhat nodding, and the petals at the tip have a point, or tooth; the green sepals are narrow and have 3 to 5 parallel reddish-brown veins. The leaves are opposite, egg shaped and on stalks that have fine hair, hence the name "fringed". At maturity a single round berry is formed. Numerous plants will be found along Violet Way blooming in early July. The genus name is from the Greek for either king Lysimachus or from lysis meaning "a release from" and mache is for "strife". The legend is that Lysimachus, king of Sicily, was walking through a field. A bull chased him. He grabbed a loosestrife plant, waved it in front of the bull and it calmed the bull. In general then, both the common and the generic name refers to a supposed power to sooth animals or "loose" them of their "strife".