Grass-Poly Lythrum hyssopifolia




Scientific Name: Lythrum hyssopifolia. 'Hyssopifolia' means 'hyssop like leaves'.

English Name: Grass-poly; Hyssop Loosestrife (Loosestrife family).

French Name: Lythrum à feuilles d'hyssope (='hyssop-leaved loosestrife').


5 Key Characters:
  • upright, up to 60 cm tall.
  • narrow oval leaves (3 cm long). 
  • 5-6 petalled single pink flowers (5 mm across) in leaf axils.



Lookalikes: Knotgrass Polygonum aviculare, which has 2-3 flowers in each leaf axil.

Habitat: Marshland, damp fields, ditches. Disturbed ground which is wet in winter and dry in spring, often grows in wheel ruts in arable fields and similar microhabitats.

Flowering Period: May-June-July-August-September.

Status: Never abundant and now rare. Threatened by modern agricultural drainage of fields and by herbicides.

Photographed by Loire Valley Nature:

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