Lythraceae

Purple-loosestrife

Lythrum salicaria L.

Family: Lythraceae
Genus: Lythrum

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Purple-loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) — FlowerPhoto: Douglas Goldman, CC BY-SA 4.0, from iNaturalist

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Common names

By language (17)

Arabic: اذريون, الحاء, الساليقارية البنفسجية, الساليقارية الشائعة, السفاناخ البري, جوفان, حنائية ساليقارية, دم جرح
Belarusian: Баравы бобік, Вербяніца, Гарлёўнік, Кабылля мятка, Кабыляк, Краупіца, Ляўконія палявая, Плакун-трава
Bulgarian: Върболист
Catalan: Salicaire Commune
Chinese: 光千屈菜, 中型千屈菜, 千屈草, 毛千屈菜
Czech: Kyprej obecný
English: Purple-loosestrife, Purple loosestrife, Loosestrife
Finnish: Pohjanrantakukka
French: Salicaire, Salicaire commune
German: Blut-Weiderich, Blutweiderich, Salicaire Commune
Italian: Salcerella
Lithuanian: Salicaire Commune
Portuguese: Salgueira, Salgueirinha, Salgueirinha-roxa, Salicária
Romanian: Floarea zânelor, Floarea zînelor
Russian: Вербовник, Дикий василёк, Плакун иволистный, Плакун-трава, Подбережник
Spanish: Arroyuela, Arroyuella, Esmermasangres, Frailes, Graciosa, Hierba de las tripas, Hierba del toro, Hierba lacharera
Swedish: Fackelros, Salicaire Commune

Synonyms

Chabraea vulgaris Bubani
Lythron salicarium St.-Lag.
Lythrum alternifolium Lorey
Lythrum altissimum Pomel
Lythrum anceps (Koehne) Makino
Lythrum argyi H.Lév.
Lythrum cashmerianum Royle
Lythrum cinereum Griseb.
Lythrum coronense Schur
Lythrum diffusum Sweet
Lythrum dubium Schult.
Lythrum gracile (DC.) DC. ex Lafont
Lythrum hexagonum Bercht. ex Opiz
Lythrum nummulariifolium Pers.
Lythrum palustre Salisb.
Lythrum propinquum Weinm.
Lythrum pubescens Sweet
Lythrum purshianum Steud.
Lythrum quadrifolium Mart.
Lythrum salicaria f. alata Rivas Mateos
Lythrum salicaria f. albiflora Y.N.Lee
Lythrum salicaria f. angustius Koehne
Lythrum salicaria f. brevistyla Willk. & Lange
Lythrum salicaria f. caudatum (Koehne) Kitag.
Lythrum salicaria f. depauperatum Brenner
Lythrum salicaria f. glabrum (Ledeb.) Regel
Lythrum salicaria f. gracile (DC.) Bolzon
Lythrum salicaria f. latius Koehne
Lythrum salicaria f. longistyla Willk. & Lange
Lythrum salicaria f. mediostyla Willk. & Lange
Lythrum salicaria f. orgyalis Priszter
Lythrum salicaria f. rariflorum Brenner
Lythrum salicaria f. serratifolia Rivas Mateos
Lythrum salicaria f. tomentosum (Mill.) Bolzon
Lythrum salicaria f. virescens Merino
Lythrum salicaria subf. anceps Koehne
Lythrum salicaria subsp. anceps (Koehne) H.Hara
Lythrum salicaria subvar. caudatum Koehne
Lythrum salicaria subvar. genuinum Koehne
Lythrum salicaria subvar. glabricaule Koehne

and 22 more.

Flowers

In flower: July to September (from 14,717 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb, Subshrub
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Canada: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced, St. Pierre and Miquelon: introduced

Photos

FlowerPhoto: Douglas Goldman, CC BY-SA 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Daughter Dad, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: frogspotter, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Zachary M.C., CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: George Chernilevsky, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: zebedeugalinha, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Brian Finzel, CC BY-SA 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Владимир Дворкин, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: AnRo0002, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons

More in Lythrum

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.