Lythrum salicaria Blush

Lythrum salicaria 'Blush' is an elegant perennial that thrives in moist or marshy soil, bearing long, slender, and graceful spikes of soft pink flowers in summer. It forms beautiful erect clumps, although slightly shorter than those observed in the species. They are composed of woody and sturdy stems with lanceolate bright green leaves resembling those of willows. Hardy, robust, and prolific, it thrives in full sun or partial shade, in ordinary but moist soil, on the banks of water bodies, or with partially submerged roots. This variety is ideal for embellishing the surroundings of small-sized ponds.

Common loosestrife is native to Europe, North Africa, and Northern Asia. It always grows in wet, even waterlogged soil, and frequently spreads in shallow water, at the edge of water bodies. This herbaceous perennial from the Lythraceae family has given rise to a few horticultural forms, including 'Blush', which is shorter and has romantic spikes of a pretty pale-pink shade.

The 'Blush' variety, anchored on a compact and powerful stump with knotty rhizomes, produces hairy, erect, woody, reddish-brown, leafy stems, forming a clump that is at least 90cm (35in) high and 60cm (24in) wide. In July-August, it produces magnificent inflorescences in the form of graceful spikes, 30 to 40cm (12 to 16in) long. They are adorned with small tubular flowers in pastel pink with a red throat. They bloom from the base to the top. The flowering is followed by the formation of capsule-shaped fruits, whose seeds are often dispersed by water. The deciduous leaves are narrow and elongated, resembling those of willows.

Lythrum salicaria 'Blush' is an easy-to-grow perennial, perfect for embellishing the surroundings of water bodies or marshy areas, which it brightens up with its generous summer flowering. It pairs well with a multitude of plants and creates magnificent autumn compositions. Plant it together with eupatoriums, loosestrifes, Filipendula rubra 'Venusta', and Euphorbia palustris, for example. In a wilder style, this robust perennial looks wonderful at the back of a border with grasses: miscanthus, panicum, stipa, for example. It can be grown in borders in rather heavy and constantly moist soil, or in waterlogged containers. Its vertical silhouette forms a beautiful contrast with the majestic fountain-like habit of royal ferns. However, it can sometimes become invasive if the required conditions are met, self-sowing spontaneously in fertile, well-drained, and moist soil.

Common loosestrife was once used as a medicinal and edible plant during times of scarcity. The leaves can be consumed raw or cooked, while the stem and its pulp can be enjoyed after cooking.

Tips:

Cut off faded flowers in early autumn to limit its spread.