Manchurian yellow loosestrife is a yellow-flowered perennial of sunny East Asian wetlands that blooms in summer in branched clusters atop stems 16–32 in (40–80 cm) tall. It isn't native to the US; the very similar yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris), a European plant that has spread here, is the one you're more likely to see.
Appearance
- Growth form
- An upright perennial spreading by underground stems, 16–32 in (40–80 cm) tall, with short and soft hairs on the stem.
- Leaves
- Stalkless leaves in pairs or whorls of 3–4, lance-shaped and 1.5–4.5 in (4–12 cm) long with smooth edges and dark dots.
- Flowers
- Many yellow flowers about 1/2 in (12–15 mm) across, in branched clusters at the stem tips and upper leaf joints.
- Fruit
- A small round capsule about 1/6 in (4 mm) across.
Look-alikes
Yellow loosestrifeLysimachia vulgaris
In photos the two are very hard to tell apart. Botanists look at the hairs on the stem, so a close-up of the stem helps.
Why they get mixed upThey're so close that some botanists treat this plant as a variety of yellow loosestrife, which grows in the US and is listed as a in Washington and Oregon.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- Sunny wetlands
- Range
- Native to Korea, Japan, China, Sakhalin, and Siberia. It is not a native US plant.
Name and classification
- About the name
- Some botanists treat it as a variety of yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris var. davurica), while others keep it as its own species.
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
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