Flower profile

Fringed loosestrife

Lysimachia ciliata

Native in the lower 48

Fringed loosestrife is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in June–August.

45states

2of our state lists

15,004U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Connecticut, Vermont

Quick look

Lysimachia ciliata, the fringed loosestrife, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae. It is an erect herbaceous perennial growing to 120 cm (47 in) tall and 60 cm (24 in) broad, with opposite, simple leaves, and smooth green stems. The star-shaped yellow flowers are borne in midsummer.
From Wikipedia's article Lysimachia ciliata, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Primulaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 45 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to Vermont and Connecticut. ^NatureServe
In Vermont, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. ^iNaturalist
In Connecticut, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in June–August. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 1,202 research-grade sightings of it in Vermont, ranking #72 among the 110 flowers on our Vermont list. ^iNaturalist
iNaturalist has 476 research-grade sightings of it in Connecticut, ranking #100 among the 111 flowers on our Connecticut list. ^iNaturalist

Fringed loosestrife gift ideas

Handmade fringed loosestrife gifts from independent makers.

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When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (3,546 records)

Bloom time in each of our 2 states

State	Type	Peak bloom	Sightings*
Vermont	Native	June–August	1,202
Connecticut	Native	June–August	476

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
Vermont: Not listed Not on Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022). NatureServe: S5, secure in Vermont. ^{Vermont E&T list}
Connecticut: Not listed Not on Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Connecticut. ^{CT E/T/SC list}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: UT (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleEdible (per NC State Extension)

NC State Extension notes: “The cooked leaves of this plant are said to be edible.” ^{NC State Extension}

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records fringed loosestrife in 45 states plus Washington, D.C.

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recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming; District of Columbia.

Vermont counties with USDA records: Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Franklin, Grand Isle, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham, Windsor.

More Vermont flowers

Northern starflower

Lysimachia borealis

Native

🌼 Blooms in VT: May–June

Creeping jenny

Lysimachia nummularia

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in VT: June–July

Whorled loosestrife

Lysimachia quadrifolia

Native

🌼 Blooms: May–July

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile LYCI.
iNaturalist, Lysimachia ciliata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Lysimachia ciliata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Vermont: Endangered and Threatened Plants of Vermont (10 V.S.A. chap. 123; list of Feb 10, 2022).
Vermont: Vermont Quarantine List, Regulated Introduced Plant Species Rule (eff. June 16, 2026).
Connecticut: Connecticut Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern Plants (RCSA 26-306; 2015 list).
Connecticut: Connecticut prohibited invasive plants (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22a-381d).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Lysimachia ciliata (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
Photo: Tom Scavo via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.