Did You Know?

Purple loosestrife has the ability to produce millions of seeds which spread easily by wind or water. Stands grow to thousands of acres in size, eliminating crucial open-water habitat for species such as butterflies and rare amphibians. Efforts to control purple loosestrife cost the U.S. economy an estimated $45 million each year. The Nature Conservancy

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Purple Loosestrife

Date Submitted: September 12, 2009

Observer: Paul Lauenstein

Observation Date: 9/12/09

Observation Time: 11:20 a.m.

Observation Location: Gavins Pond

Plant or Animal? Plant

Common Name: Purple Loosestrife

Scientific Name: Lythrum salicaria L.

Purple Loosestrife

Comments: Sometimes called "purple plague," purple loosestrife is an invasive species. Neponset River Watershed Association has a program to disperse beetles that eat nothing but purple loosestrife.

More Information: The Nature Conservancy

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