Purple loosestrife— history and environmental impact BY QUINN MILLER, LAKESMART ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP TECHNICIAN, LOWDSA Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is an invasive plant species that has a negative impact on ecosystems across North America, including the Lake of the Woods ecosystem. It was brought to North America from its native habitat in Europe when its seeds were present in soil carried on ships, through imported livestock, bedding, and feed, as well as when European settlers planted the flower in their gardens. The plant forms dense mats of roots that choke out native plant species and reduce habitat for native wildlife. With seeds easily spread by water, wind, and human movement, purple loosestrife has become a significant problem for shoreline ecosystems, reducing biodiversity and disrupting ecological balance. This invasive plant thrives in wetlands across North America as it has no natural insect predators.
Habitat and identification Purple loosestrife can be identified by the woody and distinctly square stems, growing to over two meters in height. The flowers
LakeSmart’s Abbi Friesen (front) and Brie McCardle (back) joined forces with Martin Gurtman for a day of loosestrife removal on their Coney Island property.
of the plant have five to seven pink/purple petals arranged in groups at the top of the stems. Leaves are arranged on the stem opposite or whorled and are three to ten centimetres long. A single plant can have upwards of 15 stems. Larger plants can produce millions of seeds each season, making the spread of purple loosestrife difficult to control. The plant is typically found in wetlands, shorelines, and along roadside ditches. Its ability to reproduce through plant fragments produce up to two million seeds per growing season and its tolerance to a variety of water and soil conditions contributes to its rapid spread through many environments. The seeds released towards the end of August can lay dormant in the soil of the surrounding area for up to two years, and disruption of the soil can cause dormant seeds to germinate.
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Other species of loosestrife are native to the Ontario region. Some species are sold in garden centres and advertised as "sterile"; however, these species can crosspollinate with purple loosestrife, thus producing viable seeds that will contribute to the spread. As an extra precaution, it is advisable to avoid planting any loosestrife varieties in the region.
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Environment Lake of the Woods Area News Fall 2021
The eradication and management of purple loosestrife can be difficult as the plant spreads easily through the seeds. To manage purple loosestrife populations on private property, owners can practice hand-cutting the plant, which must be done before the flowers go to seed. However, the plant is incredibly resilient and can easily re-root from pieces of root, stock, seeds, or other small pieces making it hard to get rid of. Furthermore, no herbicides are registered for use in Canada for purple loosestrife growing in or close to water.
