Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Lythrum salicaria
purple loosestrife, long purples
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Noxious weed of standing water and wet ground.

Flowers: July-September

Origin: Introduced from Europe

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bumblebees, bees, butterflies

Description:
General:

Herbaceous perennial from rhizomes, the stems angled, simple or branched above, 0.5-2 m. tall.

Leaves:

Leaves mostly opposite, but some in 3u00e2u20acu2122s or alternate, 3-10 cm. long, lanceolate, acute, somewhat cordate at base, puberulent to soft-pubescent.

Flowers:

Flowers in crowded, elongate, interrupted, terminal spikes, usually several per bract, sub-sessile; calyx tube purplish, 5 mm. long, the 5-7 lobes about half a long as the alternating linear appendages, which are 1.5-2 mm. long; petals 5-7, reddish-purple, 7-10 mm. long, attached at the top of the calyx tube; stamens 8-10, inserted in the calyx tube, of three different lengths, from barely to conspicuously exerted.

Fruits:

Capsule elongate, 2-celled.

Accepted Name:
Lythrum salicaria L.
Publication: Sp. Pl. 1: 446. 1753.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Lythrum salicaria in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Lythrum salicaria checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Lythrum salicaria information.

E-Flora BC: Lythrum salicaria atlas page.

CalPhotos: Lythrum salicaria photos.

USDA Plants: Lythrum salicaria information.

31 photographs:
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