Lysimachia terrestris
swamp candles
Overview
Lysimachia terrestris is an erect rhizomatous perennial in the primrose family, growing 1-3 feet (30-90 cm) tall. The slender, mostly unbranched stems carry opposite, narrow, lance-shaped leaves and end in a tapering raceme of star-shaped flowers. Each yellow flower is about 0.5 inch (12 mm) across, with five petals marked by dark red lines and a pair of red dots near the base. Flowering runs from June to August. Late in the season the plant forms small reddish bulblets in the leaf axils, which drop and grow into new plants. It spreads by both these bulblets and creeping rhizomes, forming colonies that can crowd out neighbors in consistently wet ground. The species is native to eastern North America and grows in marshes, wet meadows, swamp edges, and pond margins. It needs steady moisture and declines in dry soil, while its spreading habit can make it hard to contain in a small water garden.
Native Range
Lysimachia terrestris is native to eastern North America, from Newfoundland and Quebec south to Georgia and west to Manitoba, Minnesota, and Iowa. It occurs in wetlands throughout the northeastern and Great Lakes regions.Suggested Uses
Grown at pond and stream edges, in bog and rain gardens, and in wet meadow plantings. It binds soil along moist banks and naturalizes in consistently wet ground. The spreading habit suits large naturalistic wetlands rather than confined beds.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 3'
Width/Spread1' - 2'
Bloom Information
Yellow flowers open from June to August, peaking in July. The raceme blooms from the bottom upward over several weeks. Bloom is followed in late summer by reddish axillary bulblets rather than a heavy seed display.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
yellow with red markingsFoliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grow Lysimachia terrestris in full sun to part shade in wet, humus-rich soil, including the shallow margins of ponds and rain gardens. It needs ground that stays moist to saturated and declines where the soil dries out. The rhizomes and dropped bulblets spread readily, so confining the roots in a buried container limits its colonizing. Little feeding is required in fertile wetland soil. Stems are cut to the ground after frost. Division in spring controls the clump size and renews crowded stands.Pruning
No structural pruning is required. Spent flower spikes can be removed before the axillary bulblets form to slow its spread. Stems are cut back to the ground after frost.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 2 gallons