Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
is a tall (3-7 foot) plant, with square woody stalks. The stalk is covered with purple flowers composing of 5-6 purple-pink petals surrounding a small yellow center. This plant was irresistible to horticulture enthusiasts, but is now illegal to cultivate.
The arrival of Purple Loosestrife, a beautiful but aggressive invader, arrived in eastern North America in the early 1800’s. Settlers brought plants to North America for their flower gardens.
Purple Loosestrife is a very hardy perennial, which can rapidly degrade wetlands, diminishing their value for wildlife habitat. When Purple Loosestrife gets a foothold, that habitat where fish and wildlife feed, seek shelter, reproduce and rear their young, becomes choked under a sea of purple flowers. Beware that each flower will produce a seed capsule and a mature plant
(2-5 years old) will release 2.7 million seeds annually! As tiny as grains of sand, seeds are easily spread by water, wind, wildlife and humans.
Once flower petals begin to drop from the bottom of the flower spike, the plant begins to produce seed.
Proper disposal of plant material is important. Put all plant pieces in plastic bags (vegetation rots quickly in plastic) and take the bags to a sanitary landfill site.
Be sure the landfill doesn’t require the bags to be broken open for composting!
Composting is not advised, as purple loosestrife seeds may not be destroyed and the thick, woody stem and roots take a long time to decompose. If facilities exist in your area,
incineration is an effective way to dispose of plant material.
Be aware that your clothes and equipment may transport the small seeds to new areas! Thoroughly brush off your clothes and equipment before leaving the site.
