Sounds like a lysimachia I bought at a very upscale nursery and planted once, one of the most invasive things I've done and I've unintentionally done a few over the years. That one managed to go under the fence and into my neighbors bed - her yard is higher than mine and the 10" retaining wall didn't phase it, went under and popped right up.

Yes, I've dug up entire areas and barerooted plants to get invasive roots/runners out...it works.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Also known as Lysimachia Firecracker. Doing the digging right now. Actually, the roots are not that deep, but they are massively intertwined. I had it in a bed with other invasives and it was starting to go into another bed even though the flower beds are separated by boulders. It found a tiny space between the big rocks and gladly made it's way.

Had I done what I was told when I bought this plant, the problem would not be there today. Keep it at bay every year and it will be OK. But I let it go for two years...

Morz and Tiffy - you named the culprit. I'm so sorry that I let it get out of hand.

Morz, when you say you barerooted plants, do you mean you dug up everything in an area to get the Lysimachia out and then replanted everything else? Looks like that's what I'm going to have to do!!! Yuck...time for knee pads and a shovel, too.

Yes Janice, that's exactly what I did. I took the plants out, made sure all the lysimachia roots were pulled free since they traveled under and through roots of other perennials, replanted. (the lysimachia will sprout again from pieces of root missed)

I should add though, not knowing what your lysimachia is invading, that this is a very forgiving climate here - maritime influence, cool, mild in summer and winter and I can break rules on what time of year to upend and move plants. You'll know what's best in your own garden.

I have spent the afternoon today and yesterday uprooting this invasive plant. I am very sorry for ever sharing this plant. I am finding it all over my garden and its roots are wrapped around everything. I have decided it is much easier to grow Perilla, an annual that has the great dark foliage and will grow just as large with a little fertilizer. I pinch it and it is just beautiful. No more Firecracker for me. Too much work!!!!

This Lysimachia will also invade lawns, given the chance. I'd plant it in the garden only if confined in a large, deep container.

Of course Perilla is "invasive" also, by promiscuous self-seeding. But it isn't a big deal to hoe out or yank all the seedlings.

Gardenfanatic- Been there, done that. It was a massive job.
Hopefully the worst is behind you now.

I put in a Lysimachia this Spring called L. congestiflora 'Persian Chocolate' that has somewhat the same look as the plant mentioned above, and so far it has not shown any wandering tendencies. From what I've read, it's well behaved. Info for those who like the look, but not the habit.

Sounds just like my lysmachia punctata, which was trying to achieve world domination. Thankfully I caught it early enough, although it still took me 3 years to rid the bed of it. Initially I stuck some in a pot, since I have a hard time throwing any living plant away. Although something was nagging at me to just get rid of it, I decided to try planting it in an area where basically nothing grows, due to full neglect and no sun. It's been there for a few years now, and only gets rain water or what my neighbors sprinkler gives it. It has spread a bit, and if it's still there in 20 years, I just might regret my decision to have planted it, LOL. If it does manage to creep itself into the land of the sun, I'll begin yanking it, but that's a long way off, I hope.

Can't you spray RoundUp on it?
I've even carefully painted the leaves of things I want to get rid of that are too close to a desireable plant.

Wow, you people have such an experience with it. I love that plant and while it does spread around a bit it is nowhere close to being the pest you describe! This year was first year I actually dug out few pieces to give away after having it for 3 years. It is not hard to remove where I do not want them either. I also have variegated lyshimachia Alexander which also behaves. Again my garden is informal so I really do not care if they do not form clump or migrate a little, have not noticed them migrating more than couple of feet from original placement. Maybe it is because I grow them in the shade but have not had any problems from them. I have bed of lysimachias, tiger and asiatic lilies,aconitums, macleya cordata, corydalis lutea which reseeds like crazy but very happy and blooms all summer and dwarf yellow and variegated bamboo. Those ones do try to get into walking path grass but not invasive enough due to being not fully cold hardy here. Out of all of the only bamboo is kind of hard to dig up.

wow, such a timely post. we have been growing, and TOUTING lysim. atropurp. for 18 or so years. but this year i had enough. we did the whole purging thing- of both it and it's brother lysim. clethroides.all gone now. i wouldn't have done it if it had A)kept its ppl foliage and B)not flopped for the last part of each season. but there it is. and we have removed it from our list of plants we sell as well.
perilla is a soooooper black purple plant and a cinch to pull out, but it doesn't have visual garden presence for at least 1-2 months after the lysimachia.

i adore punctata but have actually officially lost it. dryness the culprit for me i believe. i'm going to acquire more.

alexander has always been weak for me. don't know why. you?

best,
mindy