WANTED
Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum Salicara)
Mouna, Emersyn, and Frank.
Where it can be found....
It was found in Europe and Asia
The purple loosestrife is an Aquatic purple plant. It grows by waters and can grow to be 2 to 7 feet high.
Helpful Hints
- Crimes: This plant hurts fish, wildlife, and native plant habitat.
- How'd it get here: Settlers brought it for their gardens and it may also have come here because ships used rocks for ballast.
- How does it spread: An adult loosestrife can produce 2.5-2.7 million seeds annually.
- How to control it: Pulling, Cutting, or Digging.
FACTS
- The plant forms dense stands with thick mats of roots that can spread over large areas, degrading habitat for many native birds, insects and other species.
- By crowding out native plantsit reduces biodiversity.
- Large stands of purple loosestrife can clog irrigation canals, degrade farm land and reduce the forage value of pastures.