Gooseneck Loosestrife

I bought one of these plants on Friday without doing any advance research. Local nursery was having a clearance sale and I picked up a number of different things. Anyway, after I got home I looked up the gooseneck loosestrife in one of my perennials books and see that it is described as being invasive. Am I going to regret having this plant? Should I pull it out now before it takes root? It is in a spot where it receives full sun and will be among some mums, speedwell and purple coneflowers. Thanks for insight into anyone's experience with this plant!

Kelly

Personally, I have two categories for invasive. LOL
1)It comes up everywhere, has an obnoxious root system, causes pain or eyesores, no one will take it, it causes damage, etc.
2)Okay, it's a bit spready, but it's pretty, comes up easily, can be pulled out without pain or much work, other people are always willing to take it. :)
I'd put gooseneck in the second category, but that is in my zone, in my garden and my opinion.

I had ONE that someone gave me at the Roundup last, maybe Badseed. This year I had maybe 8 plants, scattered in an area about 2' x 10', and part shade.

I gave a couple away, keeping the rest because I like them! They came up easily, so I'd agree with Badseed, putting it in her second category.

up here they are considered very invasive, to the point where they choke out native flora and spread like crazy. It's beautiful, but I wouldn't want it in my garden.

Wow Leisurlee! It's a thug in zone 4? You'd think it would be worse in a warmer zone. Welcome to DG!
I think you might have gotten yours from me Darius. LOL

Sure do wish the tag had at least said it was a "vigorous" grower, which I have learned is code for "invasive".

Leisurlee's comments have me a little worried but Badseed's and Darius' experience does not sound too bad. Anyone else?

i like mine! :)

Any pictures available??

In heavy clay it is very tame; in good garden soil it is a thug to the highest degree! I put mine in places to be a pioneer plant until the ground is able to sustain more than weeds, at which point it is removed. And removed. And removed. Any speck of root left in the ground will sprout, just like thistle and purslane. But as I said, in heavy clay, it is very well behaved. And the flowers are too cool!

beardtongue, after further thought, here's my idea of 'invasive'... which does not describe goosneck loosestrife in my garden.

Last year I had a yellow primrose someone gave me. It spread all over the bed it was in, and in the fall, I carefully dug up all the runners by hand, sure I had them all. This year I have almost as many as before. That's invasive! Gooseneck loosestrife can be pulled up easily, and then it's gone.

For fairazona, here's some photos: http://plantsdatabase.com/go/656/

Mine was so invasive, that it decided not to come back this spring. Our zone 5 winter-killed it. It was its third year in the garden. I have come to the conclusion, that invasive is zone related. So many invasive plants don't get invasive in my zone 5 garden. I did like it. Had it planted in good dirt and wasn't invasive, just spread nicely.

Thanks everyone! I think I will keep it. My garden has areas that are heavy with clay and maybe that will help to keep it in check. This is the first year that I have seriously started gardening and like the thought of something a little spready. Hope to fill in some dead space that way. Since it apparently can be ripped out easily if spreads too far, I won't banish it from my garden. Since I am in zone 5, I sure hope that Debby's experience won't be repeated with me!

Kelly

my mom had gooseneck in her garden and we loved it. It's beautiful in a vase and lasts a long time as a cut flower. It is graceful and a nice fresh white point in a bed. You can send any thugs you don't want to me!!!!

Okay, Janiejoy, it's a deal! Thanks for reassuring me.

It's pretty, but in my zone 7 garden, wonderful rich garden soil and a moist area it's covering a 10x10 ft area in two years. It's run over into the raspberries and I'm not sure which is winning! I know it covered my peonies, daylilies and asiatic lilies. Iris pseudacorus holds it's own against it, but physotegia is losing the battle. It sends out runners that are thick and go out for several feet.

That's scary! I didn't think anything could win against phystogia! It was in a stand-off with my rudbeckia. Guess which won? Neither! But they sure did away with my Sweet William!

Cala, the two I dug to give away were NOT connected by runners. Each just had a small root.

OK, the plant I'm talking about has white flowers that are slightly bent. Here is a link to what it looks like. http://plantsdatabase.com/go/656/ . Is this the one y'all are talking about?

Yep. that's it.

That's what I have. It really does run and spread a bit but I just pluck them right out of the ground. I trade off the extras and give them away.

Chele, if you run out please feel free to come dig all you need!

Can you grow gooseneck loosestrife from seed, or are all these volunteers coming from runners?

LOL Susie! You'll be leaving yours all behind soon enough!
Wg, I don't know about from seed. Do you want some plants? Can I mail you plants?

Badseed, mail me plants! I'd love to have them in places where nothing else wants to grow. Lots of those places on this property!

I'd be delighted to have those thuggy guys. :)

I bought three earlier this summer- they are long gone now.
(in the burn pile) They were not marked and the woman said she would call later with the name. LYTHRUM- yes I debated but I did the best thing for myself and destroyed them. I slept alot better that night. Since we have a half acre pond on our property I KNOW it was the best thing to do.

Davena

Lythrum is a different plant. That is the nasty purple loosestrife. This is Lysimachia clethroides. It is a different plant and it also behaves differently.

Badseed: Maybe I can work a trade with you next spring. We are on the downhill side of summer here. Would love to get some next spring. I should have lots of 2nd year perennials if the winter is better than last!

I agree with most - I like the gooseneck - it's a pretty flower and looks cool in "bunches". This is the first year that it really "bunched" for me - I didn't even remember planting it. (It was probably in a bunch of seeds I'd thrown out into the garden).

Tt came up last year but I wasn't sure what it was. Until this year, I didn't realize it was a very sturdy perennial. I do intend to move it though, as I want this one flower bed to be more for roses, etc. I wouldn't mind if it spread in other areas of my yard though, so like most have said, it's personal preference.

Here's a picture of it I found on the web. If mine is still blooming I'll take some pictures and post them to the database. It's been raining so much here lately I'm not sure if there's anything left in my garden!

Here is another (better) picture of the gooseneck loosestrife (not mine however, it's through blooming).