Fringed Loosestrife
Lysimachia ciliata
native
Other Name:
Fringed Yellow Loosestrife
Fringed Loosestrife is a native plant found in most of Virginia and much of North America. The genus and common names are based on an ancient Greek legend. King Lysimachus was walking through a field when he encountered a bull who charged at him. The king grabbed some loosestrife and waved it at the bull, which stopped the bull's charge. The name "Lysimachus" comes from two Greek words meaning "a release from strife". People used to tie sprigs of it on animals to repel biting insects, which was supposed to make the animals easier to handle by eliminating the strife they would otherwise experience.
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