![]() The plant itself is of little to no value for wildlife, both as a viable habitat and food source.Īs purple loosestrife spreads, it can fill in wetland ecosystems, which drastically reduces flood retention. Purple loosestrife can form dense, monospecific stands that help to crowd out native wetland vegetation, like sedges, cattails, grasses, and rushes. Once established in a particular area, purple loosestrife can displace native plant and animal species, greatly reduce biodiversity, degrade wetland habitats, and block irrigation channels and waterways. In addition to moist habitats, purple loosestrife also takes advantage of sites with high levels of disturbance as they serve as perfect places for seed germination. The plant is able to tolerate shallow water depths, as well as a wide variety of moisture, nutrient, and climatic conditions. Purple loosestrife thrives in areas where soil is moist, including wet meadows, tidal and non-tidal marshes, river banks, reservoirs, river and stream banks, and the edges of ponds. In the state of Delaware, purple loosestrife appears all over New Castle County, but only sporadically in Kent and Sussex Counties. Given its pharmacological and ornamental prowess, purple loosestrife has spread to almost every state in the United States – excluding Florida – as well as all Canadian provinces. Its seeds were carried in ship ballast and on livestock that were brought to the United States for trade. Native to Eurasia, purple loosestrife was introduced to North America by European settlers in the early to mid 1800’s. However, when seeds embed themselves in mud, they can be easily picked up and transported by wildlife, humans, and vehicles. Seed dispersal typically occurs along natural pathways, most specifically by drifting in moving water. ![]() A mature purple loosestrife plant, which ranges from 1.5 to 6 feet tall, is capable of producing over 2,000,000 seeds which can remain viable in the soil for many years. These plants spread primarily from seeds but are also capable of using underground shoots and the roots of established plants to spread as well. Though most rarely grow taller than 4 feet, in nutrient-rich habitats, some purple loosestrife can reach up to 10 feet tall. The leaves of the purple loosestrife plant are hairy and can appear both in opposite pairs that alternate down the stem or in whorls of 3 to 4. Flowering occurs 8-10 weeks after initial spring growth and begins in late June and continues through September. ![]() Each flower has 5 to 7 narrow, wrinkled petals. PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE is an herbaceous perennial plant characterized by a four-sided stem and long terminal spikes, each of which are surrounded by dense clusters of pink to magenta flowers. ![]()
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