Purple Loosestrife is a highly invasive non-native plant that threatens significant portions of Canada and the United States marsh, swamp, and coastal habitats. It has many common names such as spiked loosestrife or purple lythrum and its scientific name is Lythrum salicaria. By crowding native wetland species, purple loosestrife reduces biodiversity, eliminates food sources for marsh animals and changes water flow patterns. It can grow 1 – 8 feet tall with a width range between 3-6 feet. Numerous reddish-purple stems grow from a single woody root mass. The plant contains a 1 inch flower with 6 pinkish-purple petals and a yellow-white center. The leaves are long and narrow with pointed tips and smooth edges. They are opposite and attached directly
