Practical
Plants

Lysimachia clethroides

Gooseneck Loosestrife

a perennial member of the Lysimachia genus in the family Primulaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
1 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves and young shoots - cooked and used as a vegetable[4]. A famine food, they are only used when all else fails[3]. They can also be used as a condiment[10][12][4]. Fruits and flowers are said to be edible[2][4] but no further details are given. The fruit is very small[7].

Product or use
Condiment
Plant part
Flowers
Plant part
Fruit
Plant part
Leaves

Environment

Range
E. Asia - China, Japan. Naturalized in Holland.
Habitat
Sunny grassy hills and at low altitudes in mountains all over Japan[11][5]. Damp woodland margins, wet ravines and grassy mountain slopes at elevations of 300 - 2100 metres in China[9].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow autumn in a cold frame[7]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in spring or autumn[7]. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An easily grown plant, succeeding in a moist loamy soil[1]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Succeeds in sun or semi-shade[6]. Hardy to about -25°c[5]. Most species in this genus seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits[8]. Succeeds in a woodland or semi-wild garden, it often spreads wildly[7].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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  3. Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00

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  4. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

    ↩1↩2

  6. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

    ↩

  7. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  8. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

    ↩

  9. Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/

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  10. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

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  11. Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00

    ↩

  12. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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