Names and Myths

Lythrum Greek, gore or blood, a reference to its styptic properties.

salicaria like a willow due to the similarity of their leaves

Natural history / Folklore

Purple loosestrife is an introduced alien that has taken over vast areas of wetlands displacing many native plants. It arrived about 150 years ago in the horticultural trade. It has made the Nature Conservancy’s list of America’s Least Wanted – the Dirty Dozen.⁶ Purple Loosestrife was used to treat dysentery and diarrhea, as well as being used as an eye-freshner.¹⁷

Description

July – September Purple flowers often in large colonies, can grow to 10 feet with as many as 30 flowering branches. Wetlands⁶