Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria, is a tall-growing wildflower that grows naturally on banks of streams and around ponds. It has strong, upright stems, topped in summer with long, poker-like heads of bright purple-red flowers. Its flowers are extremely attractive to bees and butterflies.
Lythrum salicaria ‘Blush’ has slender spikes or pale pink flowers, which are very popular with bees and butterflies, from midsummer to early autumn. The foliage has good autumn colour. This variety self seeds freely, so deadhead if you want to limit this.
For best results grow Lythrum salicaria 'Blush' in moist soil, such as around the edge of a pond. Plants shouldn't need staking but deadhead spent blooms regularly to maintain a tidy appearance, and divide clumps every three to five years to avoid congestion. Grow alongside other moisture-loving plants such as inula, veronicastrum and ligularia.
