Lysimachia congestiflora Persian Chocolate - Loosestrife

Lysimachia congestiflora 'Persian Chocolate' is a particularly colourful variety of creeping loosestrife, displaying a magnificent contrast between its spring foliage in shades of brownish-purple and its yellow flowers. This small perennial plant forms a thick, evergreen carpet in moist, even clayey soils, in any exposure. Not very hardy, it is often used in containers and hanging baskets, where it forms beautiful dark draperies adorned with yellow flowers. In mild climates, it can form beautiful low-maintenance and attractive ground cover all year round. 

Lysimachia congestiflora 'Persian Chocolate' belongs to the Primulaceae family, just like primroses. It is a horticultural creation made by New Zealand breeder Darrell Probst. Its ancestor, compact loosestrife, is a short-lived Chinese species with a weakly suckering stump, from which prostrate leafy stems emerge, forming a dense carpet, 10 to 15cm (4 to 6in) in height and 40 to 50cm (16 to 20in) in diameter, or even more over time. The stems bear glabrous lance-shaped foliage that changes from purplish-green to violet-brown. The 5cm (2in) long leaves are tender and slightly glossy. The particularly long and abundant flowering begins in May and continues until September. An abundance of globose and dense clusters rise among the foliage, with a good portion of them being submerged by the flowers. Each cluster consists of small cup-shaped flowers, 2cm (1in) in diameter, with 5 fused petals. They are bright yellow with an almost red base. Lysimachia congestiflora 'Persian Chocolate' can withstand short frosts of about -7°C (19.4°F). Its foliage persists all year round in mild climates.

Lysimachia congestiflora 'Persian Chocolate' will find its place in any moist areas of the garden, where the soil never dries out, even in clayey soil. It likes full sun or partial shade. Pair it with other plants that appreciate moistness, such as thrifts, dwarf bellflowers, coral bells, foamflowers, hostas, and small ferns in partial shade. If you grow it in a pot, water it every 2 days. You can also pair it with blue or white Lobelia erinus and compact Inca lilies (from the 'Inticancha' series, for example).