This invasive purple wetland plant is spreading fast right now
iNaturalist Community
Invasive Species
If you walk near a marsh, pond edge, or ditch this month, you're likely to spot tall spikes of magenta flowers crowding out the native cattails and sedges that wildlife depend on.
Purple loosestrife is a tall plant with spiky purple flowers that looks pretty but causes real trouble in wetlands. It spreads so aggressively that it chokes out native plants, which hurts the birds, frogs, and insects that rely on those natives for food and shelter. Right now people all over are photographing and logging it in huge numbers, which helps scientists track exactly where it's taking over.
Key Findings
505 research-grade observations of purple loosestrife were logged this week, making it one of the most-recorded plant species on the platform
The species is flowering in mid-summer, which is why it's highly visible and easy for observers to spot right now
High observation volume reflects both its invasive spread and strong citizen-scientist interest in tracking invasive wetland species
chevron_right Technical Summary
Purple loosestrife, an aggressive invasive wetland plant, is drawing a surge of attention this week with 505 verified sightings logged by citizen scientists across its range.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Trending: purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) — 505 observations this week
purple loosestrife is among the most observed plant species this week with 505 research-grade observations.
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
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Lythrum salicaria or purple-loosestrife is a flowering plant belonging to the family Lythraceae. It should not be confused with other plants sharing the name loosestrife that are members of the genus Lysimachia in the family Primulaceae. This herbaceous perennial plant is native to temperate regi...