Ah, what a pretty gaggle of garden geese..
I am, of course, referring to Gooseneck Loosestrife, that plant whose flowers are named for.. well, you can see for yourself!
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| Does it resemble a goose's neck? |
This plant has a long bloom time, is easy to grow, and has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Not to mention, the bees seem to like it.
Sounds like the perfect plant, right?
Except for one teensy, itty-bitty problem...
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| Gooseneck Loosestrife - a lot of it |
Scratch that, make that an expansively BIG problem!
Gooseneck Loosestrife is so easy to grow, that it tends to take over!
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| Good thing that wall is there to stop this goose invasion! |
Native to China and Japan and hardy from zones 3 - 8, this perennial is vigorous to the point of invasiveness. Spreading both by seeds and by underground runners, Gooseneck Loosestrife is most invasive in loves sunny, moist soil, but it's not picky, tolerating a good number of growing conditions. (Hey, maybe I should have planted this when I lived in North Carolina! It can even tolerate heavy clay!)
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| Here Gooseneck Loosestrife is duking it out with pink-flowered Rose Campion, also known to be an enthusiastic grower. I think you can see which one is winning.. |
If you are thinking about planting this beautiful flower, just beware - you might want to place it in a more challenging site to slow it down. Like a dry, shady spot or heavy clay.
Or in a container.
I think here in Massachusetts, I will just enjoy it in the neighbor's yard.
I don't want even these gorgeous geese running amok!
