Spectacular when in full bloom, Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is a vigorous, upright perennial enjoying an extremely long bloom season from late spring to late summer. Leaves are lance shaped, stalkless, and heart‐shaped or rounded at the base. Purple loosestrife may bloom from July all the way into early September. The leaves grow in pairs opposite each other on the stems. What is purple loosestrife? The perennial plant arrived in … Controlling the spread of purple loosestrife is crucial to protecting vital fish, wildlife and native plant habitat! It is spreading which is causing wildlife to have less "Life" in it. The leaves grow in pairs opposite each other on the stems. Pulling purple loosestrife by hand is easiest when plants are young (up to two years) or in sand. Epilobium] angustifolium) Photo courtesy of Wasyl Bakowsky. The branched stem has pairs of tapering leaves which end in terminal clusters of deep, yellow-gold flowers. Family. Seeds are tiny and dark brown. Don’t put this plant in your composter. One of the most easily recognizable features of purple loosestrife, at any time of the year, is its ridged, square stem. The Eurasian yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris), is an erect plant about 2 to 4 feet high. Guidelines for Purple Loosestrife Control:Don’t be fooled by these look-alikes… How to control Purple Loosestrife. The flowering parts are used as medicine. It can live for many years, usually becoming tough and fibrous at the base. Purple loosestrife has narrow leaves that … It can live for many years, usually becoming tough and fibrous at the base. Glyphosate-containing herbicides are recommended for chemical control. The plant also has a thick taproot with fibrous rhizomes that form a dense mat, making it difficult to remove. (Search “invasives” for other invasive plant information.) Identifying traits: Stands between 3 and 7 feet tall. Spread, impact, and control of purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) in North American wetlands. Purple loosestrife has been used medicinally for centuries to treat diarrhea and dysentery. In some states it is illegal to plant this invasive plant because once it takes hold, it is almost impossible to get rid of. Small infestations can be controlled by removing all roots and underground stems. Encourage your community to scout for and remove any purple loosestrife in your area. Any roots left behind will sprout new plants. No. What does it look like? What does it look like? long (45 cm) held atop lance-shaped leaves. Revised:  4/27/2004 Learn how to identify purple loosestrife and other invasive plants. Even i… Definition of purple loosestrife : a perennial Eurasian marsh herb (Lythrum salicaria) of the loosestrife family that is naturalized in eastern North America and has long spikes of purple flowers Examples of purple loosestrife in a Sentence Remove the Flowers - If you can’t dig it up, remove the flowers before they go to seed to slow the spread. Fireweed (Chamerion [syn. Connect with your County Extension Office », Find an Extension employee in our staff directory », Get the latest news and updates on Extension's work around the state, Feedback, questions or accessibility issues: info@extension.wisc.edu | © 2020 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System Privacy Policy | Non-Discrimination Policy | Discrimination and Harassment Complaints | Disability Accommodation Requests | Civil Rights. This plant is "Killing" our nation. It’s not that they didn’t like the look of the bright fronds swaying in the breeze between cattails. All control methods will likely need to be repeated for several years. Its native habitat is wetlands such as marshes, lakes, ponds and alongside streams and rivers. But it is a threat? Seeds are easily spread by wind and water, remaining viable in the soil for many years. It has a woody root that can have from 30-50 stems coming from it. Flowers are magenta pink and have five to seven narrow petals. It can live for many years, usually becoming tough and fibrous at the base. No, it looks like normal flowers grown in your backyard. Purple loosestrife is in the Lythracaea family which includes pomegranates and crepe myrtle trees. Purple loosestrife has narrow leaves that are arranged opposite each other on the stem. Again, be sure to get as much of the root system as possible because any roots left behind will sprout new plants. Purple loosestrife usually grows to a height of 3 to 7 ft., but it can grow as tall as 12 ft. Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), native to Eurasia and now common in eastern North America, grows 0.6 to 1.8 metres (2 to 6 feet) high on Originally many garden varieties of … In winter months, dead brown flower stalks remain with old seed capsules visible on the tips. Just make sure that you get as much of the roots as possible. Small areas can be dug by hand. Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria, is a tall-growing wildflower that grows naturally on banks of streams and around ponds.It has strong, upright stems, topped in summer with long, poker-like heads of bright purple-red flowers. Purple loosestrife is often found growing along the banks of waterways. Caren White (author) on September 17, 2020: You should look into growing native plants. Flowers have five to seven petals. The plants themselves are also tall, about 6 feet tall. Europe and Asia. Purple can grow to 4-10 feet tall. Purple loosestrife is easiest to identify when it is flowering. They produce numerous spikes of purple Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) 7 Lookalikes Table 1: The main identification features of purple loosestrife in comparison with four species that may appear similar (lookalikes). Loosestrife, any of the ornamental plants of the family Lythraceae, especially the genera Lythrum and Decodon, and Lysimachia of the family Myrsinaceae. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept. Bag them up and put them out with the garbage. Lythraceae (loosestrife) Also known as. For more information on purple loosestrife:  Access the Wisconsin DNR website or  contact your county UW-Extension agent. Check your state regulations. Purple loosestrife can be cut or pulled without a permit in Minnesota. Biological control using insects that solely feed on purple loosestrife are also proving effective (see box below for more information). But purple loosestrife takes over wetland ecosystems, chokes out native plants and leaves less food for waterfowl and other wildlife to eat. For purple loosestrife reporting, and site or specific program info, contact the Wis. Purple Loosestrife Biocontrol Program- Purple loosestrife can easily spread if … Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria, L. virgatum and any combination thereof) is listed as a MDA Prohibited Noxious Weed (Control List) and a prohibited invasive species in Minnesota, which means it is unlawful (a misdemeanor) to possess, import, purchase, transport or introduce this species except under a permit for disposal, control, research or education. The native plants that the animals, birds and insects depend on for food and habitat are gone. It is difficult to remove all of the roots in a single digging, so monitor the area for several growing seasons to ensure that purple loosestrife has not regrown from roots or seed. The plants grow mainly in wet areas. Wetland perennial, three to seven feet tall, with up to 50 stems topped with purple flower spikes. How can I control purple loosestrife? Each mature plant can produce up to 2.7 million seeds each year. But does this purple flower plant look like a threat? Purple loosestrife can produce more than two million tiny seeds per plant. Cutting the flower stalks before they go to seed ensures the seeds will not produce future plants. Purple loosestrife is typically found invading lakeshores, wetlands, ponds, and wet pastures and ditches. Types vary from stately plants suitable for borders to ones that serve as creeping groundcovers. Allow the plants to dry out, then burn if possible. These factors allow purple loosestrife to spread rapidly through wetlands and other areas where it chokes out other desirable native vegetation and eliminates open water habitat that is important to wildlife. Spray the foliage with a solution containing 1% active ingredient, or apply to cut stems in a solution containing 3-10% active ingredient. Be sure no portions of roots or stems remain. Pretty as it is, I guess I am fortunate not to have any. Item number:  XHT1084. What does purple loosestrife look like? Yes. Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is a fast-spreading, tall Eurasian plant that grows primarily in wetlands and ditches, but can invade home gardens. Just be aware that it is invasive and will crowd out your other flowers. Stems are usually 4 sided with many branches and narrow leaves. WHERE DOES IT GROW? But it will grow fine in the dryer environment of a flower garden. Flowers vary, too—they can be shaped like cups, saucers, or stars and come in shades of white, yellow, pink, and purple. Its flowers are extremely attractive to bees and butterflies. Each plant can produce from one to 50 flowering stems. Purple loosestrife has square stems, which help to tell it apart from some of the look-alikes that grow in the same areas. It features pink, purple or magenta flowers in dense spikes, up to 18 in. Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L.) Photo courtesy of David J. McMurray. The leaves of purple loosestrife start out with lance-shaped leaves, but can become very variable in shape as the plant grows. In their original homes, there are predators that eat the plants or hunt the animals and keep their populations under control. In fact, the plant gets its descriptive name from the gooseneck loosestrife flowers on their arching stems, which bear a slight crook at the end. These have the characteristic bend at the end of the gooseneck loosestrife flower stems. The best time to remove purple loosestrife from your garden is in June, July and early August when it is in flower. Purple loosestrife is easiest to identify when it is flowering. Where is it originally from? Bag it up and put it out with the garbage. Purple loosestrife has a wide tolerance of environmental conditions and spreads by seed as well as by aggressive rhizomes. Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is a flowering plant that is native to Europe and Asia. Pull it by Hand – If you can catch it when it is young, only 1 or 2 years old, the easiest way to get rid of this pest is by pulling it up by hand. What You Can Do. It shouldn’t be confused with other plants whose common names are also loosestrife such as Fringed Loosestrife and Gooseneck Loosestrife, both members of the primrose family. Purple loosestrife's appearance is similar to fireweed and spirea and is sometimes found growing with g… Dispose of plants and roots by drying and burning or by composting in an enclosed area. It will also escape your garden and start growing in wild areas, eventually crowding out the native plants. Invasive species cause harm because they have no enemies to keep them in check in their new homes. Small infestations can be removed with a shovel. Take care to prevent further seed spread from clothing or equipment during the removal process. Blooming for weeks from late spring to late summer, the flowers rise above whorls of light green serrated leaves. This method is most useful on garden plantings or young infestations. In the case of purple loosestrife, it grows by forming dense mats of roots and new shoots that choke out other plants.