Plant Care Library

Other Names:  Dense Flowered Loosestrife, Moneywort

Brand:  Darwin Perennials

Description:

A great shade garden choice, featuring spectacular burgundy-black leaves all season, contrasted by dense groupings of bright yellow flowers in summer; a colorful groundcover that is short growing and very floriferous

Ornamental Features

Firefly Loosestrife is smothered in stunning lightly-scented yellow cup-shaped flowers along the stems from late spring to early fall. Its attractive small oval leaves emerge burgundy in spring, turning lime green in color with showy burgundy variegation and tinges of black. The foliage often turns coppery-bronze in fall.

Landscape Attributes

Firefly Loosestrife is a dense spreading perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It is a good choice for attracting bees to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Spreading

Firefly Loosestrife is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Border Edging
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Firefly Loosestrife will grow to be about 8 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Firefly Loosestrife is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.