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Common Name: Purple Loosestrife

General Information

Lythrum salicaria is a perennial plant that can grow up to 1.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Europe, including Britain, south to N. Africa east to western and northern Asia. N. America..

Habitat

Reed swamps at the margins of lakes and slow-flowing rivers, fens and marshes, avoiding acid soils[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Pollinators	Bees, Flies
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in ordinary garden soil, especially if it is damp[]. Prefers a neutral to alkaline soil[]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Grows well in marshy soils[] and succeeds in shallow water at the edges of ponds[]. Succeeds in full sun or partial shade[].
A very hardy plant, tolerating temperatures down to at least -25°c[].
This species can be very invasive and has been declared a noxious weed in some countries. Since being introduced in N. America it has invaded native marshlands, florming large areas of dense stands and crowding out many native species[].
A very ornamental plant[]. A good bee and butterfly plant[].
Plants usually self-sow when well sited[].

Edible Uses

Leaves - cooked[, , , ]. Rich in calcium[].
Root - cooked[].
An edible dye is obtained from the flowers[].

Medicinal

Purple loosestrife is an astringent herb that is mainly employed as a treatment for diarrhoea and dysentery. It can be safely taken by people of all ages and has been used to help arrest diarrhoea in breast-feeding babies[]. It can also be used to treat heavy periods and inter-menstrual bleeding[]. Modern research has shown the whole plant to be antibiotic and to be particularly effective against the micro-organism that causes typhus[].
The flowering plant is antibiotic, highly astringent, hypoglycaemic, styptic and vulnerary[, , , , , , ]. It is valued as an intestinal disinfectant, especially in cases of enteritis[], an infusion is used internally in the treatment of diarrhoea, internal bleeding, excessive menstruation etc[, , ]. The flowering plant is harvested in the summer and can be used fresh or dried[].
Externally, the plant is used as a cleansing and healing wash for wounds, sores, impetigo, eczema, excess vaginal discharge, vaginal itching etc[, , , ]. The powdered plant is used as a haemostatic in cases of severe nosebleeds[].
The stems are regarded as gum stimulators and are given to children to chew in order to strengthen weak or bleeding gums[].

Other Uses

A decoction of the plant is impregnated into wood, rope etc to prevent it rotting in water[]. The leaves contain about 12% tannin, the stems 10.5%, the flowers 13.7% and the roots 8.5%[]. It is probably these tannins that preserve the wood etc[].
The powdered plant is used cosmetically in face-packs to counteract reddened skin[].

Propagation

Seed - sow in the autumn or the spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.
If you have sufficient seed it could be worthwhile trying a sowing in situ in the autumn or the spring.
Division in early spring or early autumn[]. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.
Basal cuttings in the spring[]. Harvest the shoots with plenty of underground stem when they are about 8 - 10cm above the ground. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer.