Lysimachia ciliata ‘Firecracker’ is a bold, fast-growing perennial known for its dramatic dark foliage and bright yellow star-shaped flowers. With its rich burgundy leaves and vibrant summer colour, this eye-catching plant provides excellent contrast in mixed borders and naturalistic planting schemes. Easy to grow and tolerant of a wide range of conditions, it’s an ideal choice for gardeners looking to add colour, texture and movement to their outdoor space.
Botanical name: Lysimachia ciliata ‘Firecracker’
Common name: Firecracker loosestrife
Plant type: Hardy herbaceous perennial
Height: 1.2m (4ft)
Spread: 0.9m (3ft)
Deep burgundy-purple foliage from spring to autumn
Flowering: Bright yellow flowers from Summer (July to August)
Fast-growing and low maintenance
Good for damp or poorly drained areas
Simple to prune: Cut back after flowering
Hardy: Hardy in the UK down to temperatures of -15 degrees Celcius (RHS hardiness rating H6)
‘Firecracker’ forms an upright, branching clump with deep reddish-purple leaves that emerge in spring and keep their colour through the growing season. In early to mid-summer, contrasting yellow flowers appear above the foliage, creating a striking visual effect. It spreads by underground rhizomes, making it excellent for ground cover or filling gaps in larger borders.
Position: Prefers full sun or partial shade. Full sun brings out the best leaf colour.
Soil: Grows well in moist, fertile soil. Tolerates poorly drained areas and clay, making it useful for wetter parts of the garden.
Potted: grown in pots can be planted at any time of the year providing the ground is not frozen or waterlogged
Planting Depth: Plant with the crown level to the soil surface and water well after planting.
Spacing: Leave 45–60 cm between plants to allow for natural spread.
Plant in spring or autumn to allow roots to establish before the heat or cold of the season.
Lysimachia ‘Firecracker’ is easy to grow and generally trouble-free. Water during dry spells, particularly in its first year. It may spread vigorously in moist soils, so consider using a root barrier or regularly thinning it out to keep it in check.
Mulch in spring with compost or well-rotted manure to improve soil and retain moisture.
Ideal for damp borders, stream banks, and boggy areas
Excellent contrast plant in mixed or perennial borders
Pairs well with hostas, ferns, astilbes, and ornamental grasses
Suitable for wildlife and cottage-style gardens
Effective as ground cover where spread is desired
Lysimachia ‘Firecracker’ brings a unique combination of rich foliage and cheerful flowers to the garden. Whether you're looking to brighten a damp corner, add contrast to your border, or fill space with reliable colour, this vigorous and easy-going perennial is a great choice for gardeners of all experience levels. Just give it room to spread and enjoy its fiery impact through the summer months.
Buying Perennials from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we lightly trim back our perennials after flowering and trim them back at the end of the season to ensure that the plants remain neat and tidy whilst in the pot. The more tender the plant the less we cut back to help protect exposed stems from winter frost. Depending on the plant variety we will then prune back further in spring once the risk of the more severe frosts is over.
As a result, depending on the time of year you buy perennials, they may not look like images showing their ‘prime time’ in flower and looking at their best.
From late autumn onwards and dependent on variety, there may be very little visible above the soil except for a few cut back dormant leaves or stems. It is perfectly normal for dormant plants to look like this from autumn onwards, they will however burst back into life in spring.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
Perennials are described and classified differently by different gardeners but all would agree that they are plants that come into flower every year from early spring to late summer, the exact time dependent on variety and most die back to ground level in autumn and winter.
As for all plants, soil preparation is time well spent. Dig over the area to be planted ensuring that the ground is free draining. If not then you may wish to either consider planting in a different spot or raising the level of the planting area by adding additional topsoil, well rotted garden compost and/or well rotted manure. Add ‘Fish, Blood and Bone’ fertiliser or a high potash fertiliser to encourage good root growth and development.
It’s always a good idea to plant a few of the same plant together, we recommend planting in 3’s or 5’s to provide a bold effect but allowing them plenty of room to develop.
Always check eventual plant heights when planning borders to ensure that the taller plants are at the back (or at the centre of an island bed) followed by the medium and then smaller low growing plants.
Remember to deadhead perennials after flowering, trim back lightly in autumn as required to tidy the border and if necessary trim again in spring once the risk of heavy frost has passed.
If perennials get too big, start to flower less and less or if it seems to be dying off from the centre, consider dividing the plant but always check that the particular variety is happy to be divided and that you divide at the right time of year for the plant.
By using this simple guide and a little time, perennials can make an absolutely spectacular difference to your garden.
No posts found