Purple Loosestrife Purple Loosestrife Beautiful invader of wetlands Anyone from the South is familiar witrh Kudzu, the vine that strangles everything in its path. But we have another killer plant to contend with.
Purple loosestrife is a beautiful perennial wwith a spike of purple flowers blooming in the summer.
It usually grows to 4 feet but sometimes reaches 10 feet. The loosestrife thrives in a freshwater to brackish wetlands. Purple loosestrife was brought to America from Eurasia during the 1800s, imported both for landscaping and as a pollen producing plant for the bee industry. It was introduced into the northeast and spread rapidly throughout the temperate regions of the United States. Having no natural enemies in North America, purple loosestrife can outcompete almost all marsh plants.