Description
Other names of Purple loosestrife include Spiked loosestrife and purple lythrum, They can grow up to 1-2 meters tall forming Clonal colonies, can be found in ditches, wet meadows, marshes and alongside lakes and ponds. They are pollinated by long-tongued insects including bees and butterflies. It has been used as an astringent medicinal herb to treat diarrhoea and dysentery; it is considered safe to use for all ages, including babies. It is also cultivated as an ornamental plant in gardens, and is particularly associated with damp, poorly drained locations such as marshes, bogs and watersides. However, it will tolerate drier conditions. The leaves will make a Beige/grey dye while the flowers make greyish/violet.
Producing purple flowers with long erect stems, purple loosestrife is a native species in the UK.