Lysimachia

Family. Primulaceae.

Origin. China.

Description. Lysimachia is a profusely flowering herbaceous perennial with erect, numerous shoots or a groundcover evergreen plant that forms a low, dense carpet of bright green, rounded, corrugated leaves with bright golden-yellow cup-shaped flowers up to 2 cm in diameter, appearing from late spring to summer. Depending on the species, the buds are located singly or in large clusters.

Looks great in hanging pots and tubs.

The color of the petals varies from cream and pink to yellow and dark burgundy; there are also variegated varieties with a white or cream stripe along the edge of the leaf blade.

Height. Shrub species reach 60 - 80 cm in height, while groundcover species often do not exceed 15 cm.

Planting and care

Growing in open ground

The plant can be planted directly by seeds, sowing of which is carried out in early summer or autumn, so that the seedlings do not have time to appear before the onset of frost. 

Seedlings are planted in open ground after night frosts stop - in late May - early June.

For planting, a secluded corner protected from strong gusts of wind, shaded from direct sunlight during the daytime, is suitable.

Lysimachia will do well when grown in  partial shade - for example, under trees or shrubs. It is also advisable to plant the bushes in a place where there is underground water close to the surface of the soil - the plant loves constantly moist soil, and some species can grow submerged several centimeters in water.

Lowlands and small ravines are suitable for growing flowers.

Heavy, clayey soils should be refined by adding humus and coarse river sand. 

For planting, the area is dug up and weeds are removed, then planting holes are prepared, located at a distance of about 50 cm from each other.

A nutrient layer in the form of humus or well-rotted manure is placed on the bottom of the planting holes.

The bush is placed in the center of the hole, the root system is straightened and sprinkled with soil.

After planting, the soil around the root system is compacted, the seedlings are watered abundantly, and the base is mulched with a layer of straw, sawdust or fallen leaves. Mulch will delay the development of weeds and prevent rapid evaporation of moisture.

Only planted plants need abundant and frequent watering.

Further care will consist of timely watering, fertilizing and weeding.

After flowering, the stems are cut with a sharp sterile tool. Before the onset of frost, also shorten long, upright stems, as they will not withstand severe frosts.

If you choose the right place for this flower, it will not need to be replanted for 8-10 years and will form a large, abundantly flowering bush.

Before the onset of frost, the base of the bushes can be covered with spruce branches or a small layer of fallen leaves, but this is not necessary. Even in a fairly harsh climate, loosestrife tolerates winter well in open ground, provided there is good snow cover.

When grown in open ground, some species grow too quickly and fill all available space, so when planting them, it is worth digging in strips of iron, slate or decorative garden fences around the bush, which will limit the spread of roots.

How to trim 

In general, Lysimachia is unpretentious, but sometimes requires pruning.
Immediately remove unsightly flower stalks after wilting to maintain a neat appearance. For pruning, use a sharpened and sterilized tool.

Reproduction, growing from seeds 

Lysimachia is propagated by cuttings or division at almost any time during the growing season - these are the most reliable and common methods of propagation.

Large specimens are divided during transplantation, in spring or autumn.

The bushes are cut into several parts with a sharp sterile knife so that each part has a well-developed root system of its own and green shoots with leaves.

The wound surface formed during division is treated with crushed charcoal or ash for disinfection and drying.

Vegetative propagation or cuttings with stem cuttings in the summer also works well - some varieties are successfully propagated by stem cuttings 10-15 cm long. Flowering of such seedlings occurs already in the next season.

1. The bases of the cuttings are treated with growth hormones and immersed to a depth of 2 - 3 cm in well-moistened and light soil.
2. The bushes are placed in a warm and shaded place, protected from direct sunlight.
3. The top of the cuttings is covered with glass or a transparent plastic bag.
4. The successful completion of the rooting process can be judged by the appearance of new growth.

Cuttings root well even in a glass of water, however, when planted in the ground, such specimens will lag in growth for some time - their root system adapts to new living conditions.

Seed propagation will take time - plants obtained in this way will bloom only at the age of 2-3 years.

Before sowing, it is necessary to carry out cool stratification - keep the planting material in a cool place, for example in the refrigerator for 1.5 - 2 months.

Seeds are sown in pots outdoors in the spring. Sowing is carried out when the threat of frost has passed; seeds can be sown indoors in late winter - early spring.  If sowing is planned to be carried out in the autumn months, then stratification will take place by itself and there is no need to specially prepare the seeds for sowing. 

1. For sowing, prepare a mixture of peat and coarse river sand in equal proportions.
2. A small drainage layer in the form of fine expanded clay or river sand 1.5 - 2 cm thick is laid on the bottom of the container.
3. The substrate is thoroughly moistened using a fine sprayer and seeds are sown on its surface.
4. There is no need to cover the seeds with a layer of soil - they are simply lightly pressed with your fingertips into the surface of the earth.
5. To maintain uniformly high humidity, the container is covered with a transparent plastic lid or glass.
6. Seedlings are kept in a place shaded from direct sunlight with a temperature of about 15° C.
7. After 10-14 days after sowing, you can notice the appearance of the first shoots - at this time, the cover is lifted daily and the seedlings are ventilated, gradually increasing the ventilation time.
8. With the appearance of 2 - 4 true leaves, the seedlings are picked - planted in separate small cups with a nutritious and loose substrate.

10 - 14 days after picking, you can feed the young bushes with highly diluted fertilizer with a high nitrogen content. 

Sometimes they are propagated by young root shoots, which can be separated from the mother bushes. There is a method of propagation by rhizome cuttings.

Transplanting

Young bushes are replanted as they grow, in the spring, annually. The need for replanting can often be determined by the tips of the roots that appear in the drainage holes of the pot.

The best time for replanting is from the beginning of new growth until flowering.

If the lysimachia looks healthy and has no signs of rotting, then instead of replanting, it is worth carrying out a careful transshipment, which preserves the root ball.

For planting, choose a pot with large drainage holes.

Since the root system of many species lies close to the surface of the earth, a deep pot is not needed - you can plant the flower in a wide bowl.

1. A drainage layer in the form of expanded clay, river pebbles or broken brick is placed on the bottom of the pot and sprinkled with a small layer of soil.
2. The plant is placed in the center of the pot so that it is at the same depth as in the previous container, and simply sprinkled with fresh soil around the perimeter.
3. After planting, the soil around the root system is compacted to remove possible air pockets.
4. The seedling is watered generously and, if necessary, fresh substrate is added if the soil has settled significantly after watering.

The transplanted bushes are kept in the shade from direct sunlight for 7-10 days, and the first feeding is carried out 3-4 weeks after transplanting.

Flowering time 

From May to October, the flowering period is usually quite long - it takes about 1 month.

The specific timing of flowering will depend on the varietal characteristics and maintenance conditions.

Diseases and pests 

There are no serious problems with pests, and it rarely gets sick. 

• Rust and leaf spotting may occur.
• Lysimachia does not bloom in low light.  

Of the insect pests, the bush may be attacked by aphids. When grown in open ground, leaves and shoots may be chosen by weevils.

Soil

Suitable for growing medium-nutritious, moist and well-drained soils.

Lysimachia can tolerate almost any type of soil, but will look more lush in a substrate with a high content of organic matter in the form of peat, humus, humus and well-rotted manure.

Containment temperature

This ornamental shrub is well adapted to a wide range of temperatures.

Representatives of this genus are frost-resistant - some species can withstand frosts down to -40 °C.

When grown indoors, a cool winter is desirable, which will allow the bush to rest and gain strength for subsequent abundant flowering.

Lighting

Lysimachia prefers bright lighting without direct sunlight. Tolerates partial shade. 

Shoots and leaves can be in the sun only in the morning and evening hours, at midday it is better to arrange light shading.

The most suitable for growing are windows facing east or west. When kept on the south side, the flower is placed further from the window.

Fertilizer

During the growing season is fed 2 times a month.

The flower reacts positively to both mineral and organic fertilizers in the form of well-rotted cow or horse manure, a weak solution of chicken manure or humus.

In the fall, the frequency of feeding is reduced, and in the winter months the plants are not fed at all. Fertilizer application should be resumed in the spring, when the first signs of new growth appear.

Mineral fertilizing is applied only to moist soil, after abundant watering.

Watering 

Although many species of Lysimachia are drought-resistant for short periods of time, they prefer regular watering.

In winter, the frequency of watering is reduced depending on the temperature.

For watering, use only well-settled water at room temperature.

Excess moisture that appears in the tray after watering drains after a few minutes.

The substrate for some species should be constantly moist and even swampy - in nature, bushes often grow half-submerged in water.

Spraying 

There are no special requirements; you can spray it periodically, if only to repel insect pests that may appear in a too dry atmosphere.

When spraying, make sure that droplets of water do not fall on the buds and flowers - this will cause the appearance of unsightly brownish spots and reduce the decorative properties of the plants. 

For spraying, use only softened water at room temperature and carry out the procedures in the morning so that droplets of moisture have time to evaporate before dusk.

Purpose

A very spectacular ornamental foliage and ornamental flowering genus. Cut shoots do not lose their attractiveness for a long time in a vase with water.

The plant is an excellent honey plant.

Varieties with long hanging stems are often grown as ampelous flowers in hanging pots or at the foot of large trees as ground cover.

The main advantage of lysimachia in the garden is its unpretentiousness to the conditions of maintenance, which allows you to place bushes in corners of the garden where nothing else will grow - for example, in partial shade or in swampy areas.

Interesting facts, useful properties

Lysimachia not only has a spectacular appearance, but can also be used for medicinal purposes - for example, the plant has a hemostatic, disinfecting effect, and promotes rapid healing of the wound surface.

Taking an infusion of dried leaves can help ease digestive problems such as diarrhea.

Since the green mass contains ascorbic acid, it is used in homeopathy to support the body in the fight against colds.

A tea made from the leaves is believed to relieve headaches.

Types of lysimachia:

Lysimachia Nummularia

A spectacular ground cover plant with creeping, creeping stems, the height does not exceed 10 cm. Upon contact with the ground, roots appear in the leaf nodes. The leaves are bright green, round, up to 2 cm in diameter, reminiscent of a coin, which is why the plant received its name. The flowers are bright lemon-yellow or golden, with 5 thin oblong petals, up to 2 cm in diameter. Varieties with golden-yellow leaves have been bred. This species looks great not only as a ground cover, but also as an hanging plant. 

Lysimachia punctata

A perennial, herbaceous, multi-stemmed plant up to 90 cm high, which with age forms a large and dense, rounded bush. The leaves are green, sessile, heart-shaped. The leaf blades are corrugated. The flowers are golden-yellow, bright, appear in the axils of the leaves and tightly surround the stems of the plant. Each shoot has several tiers with flowers. 

A very attractive representative of the species is the variegated or variegated  lysimachia Alexander, which is distinguished not only by long and abundant flowering, but also by spectacular leaves with a white border along the edge of the leaf blades. The plant thus does not lose its attractiveness even when it does not bloom.

Lysimachia Сlethroides

A perennial herbaceous plant, very different in appearance from other varieties of lysimachia. It is a large bush up to 120 cm high with thick vertical shoots. The leaves are spear-shaped, pointed, sessile, dark green. The flowers are small, white, pink or cream, collected in large and long racemes with drooping tips at the tops of the shoots. Flowers bloom from the base of the raceme to its top; the total flowering time is about 20 days. 

Lysimachia vulgaris

Quite a large species, the height of the plant reaches 1 m. The stems are vertical, rounded, the leaves are dark green with branched veins expressed in a lighter shade, arranged oppositely, sessile. The lower surface of the leaf blades has a slightly lighter shade. The flowers are yellow or golden-orange, collected in multi-flowered panicles at the tops of the stems. 

Lysimachia ciliata

It is a herbaceous perennial with vertical shoots, often colored burgundy. The leaves are up to 15 cm long, arranged oppositely, on short, pubescent petioles. During the flowering period, golden flowers with a diameter of up to 2.5 cm appear in the upper part of the stems in the axils of the leaves. The flowering period begins in July and lasts about one and a half months. Currently, breeders have developed varieties with bright violet-burgundy or purple leaves that contrast well with yellow flowers (for example, Firecracker lysimachia). 

Lysimachia thyrsiflora

A perennial plant with powerful vertical shoots of green or burgundy color. The leaves are narrowly linear, green, slightly bent along the central vein. In the upper part of the shoots in the leaf axils there are small, round, fluffy inflorescences with small golden flowers.