Plant Profile: Lysimachia quadrifolia

Whorled Loosestrife is indigenous to the fens and damp prairies of eastern North America. Its striking yellow flowers emerge from the leaf axils on elongated stems. The leaves display a visually appealing whorled arrangement along the stem, typically grouped in clusters of four to five, though they can range from three to six. While this plant thrives in moist soil, it is also capable of adapting to drier conditions and a variety of soil types. It propagates through rhizomes and seeds, though its spread is relatively moderate.

In North Carolina, Whorled Loosestrife can be found in diverse forested areas and clearings, including the pine savannas of the outer Coastal Plain, where conditions can vary from moist to quite dry. It is prevalent in the mountainous regions and the Piedmont of North Carolina, but it is less common in the Coastal Plain.