Purple Loosestrife
(Lythrum salicaria L)
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MATURE PLANT
2-8 feet |
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ROSETTE
stem bolts out of ground from root |
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FLOWER
5-7 petals, rose purple |
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INFESTATION
1 acre in El Paso County | |
Purple loosestrife is a perennial that originated in Europe. It was introduced to the United States as an ornamental species leaving behind the insects and diseases that control it. Purple loosestrife is also known as purple lythrum or spiked loosestrife.
Wet soil or shallow standing water such as stream-banks, ditches, cattail marshes, wet meadows are perfect conditions for purple loosestrife to thrive. Birds, wildlife, vehicle tires and people walking through areas infested with this weed can further infestations in other areas. A bush like plant clogs water channels with its leaves and dense root system purple loosestrife will grow to the height of 2 to 8 feet. The stem is square and hollow with lanceolate smooth edge leaves 2-11 cm long, 5-15 mm wide, attaching opposite and alternating around the stem. Purple loosestrife flowers from late June through September. The flower is a rose-purple color with 5 to 7 petals growing in vertical spikes blooming from the bottom up.
It quickly invades wetland areas crowding out native plants that provide food and shelter for wildlife. The reproduction of this plant is from seed, rhizomes and broken pieces or mowed plants. Purple loosestrife has short rhizomes and a taproot. One single mature plant in one year can produce up to 3 million seeds that can be viable in the ground for 20 years.
Every effort should be made to control this rapid and aggressively spreading plant. It is an extremely difficult plant to control. When trying to control purple loosestrife cutting off seed-head and not letting them fall to the ground or using aquatic chemical control can be most helpful.