Plant Profile: Ludwigia alternifolia

Rattlebox is a perennial wildflower native to North America, typically thriving in moist environments such as swamps, stream banks, freshwater tidal marshes, ditches, and the edges of ponds. It favors acidic, sandy soils that are consistently moist or wet, although it can adapt to a variety of soil types. The plant produces delicate yellow flowers during the summer months, which bloom for a brief period of one day or less, lasting for about two to three months. After flowering, it develops distinctive squarish seed capsules that produce a rattling sound when shaken. Bees are the primary pollinators of this species. Rattlebox is well-suited for rain gardens, water gardens, and the borders of streams and lakes, and it demonstrates a good tolerance to heat.