Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L.)

Stem: Square with 4-6 sides. May be smooth or have fine hairs. Can reach 2 metres (6.5 feet) in height.

Leaves: Lance-shaped, opposite, smooth margins. Leaf pairs grow at 90º angles to each other along the stem.

Flowers: Attractive magenta color, very small and grow in clusters near the top of the stem.

General: Spreads mainly by seed (up to 2.5 million/plant) but can also spread by underground horizontal roots. An estimated 190,000 hectares of wetland areas are affected each year; agriculture and pasture land is also vulnerable to invasion.