Purple Loosestrife
Lythrum salicaria
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Lythraceae
- Genus:
- Lythrum
- Species:
- Lythrum salicaria
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Subshrub
- Height:
- 6-8 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun, sep
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, purple
Native Range
United States: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming, Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia), Columbia silk moth (Hyalophora columbia), Honeydew moth (Cryptoblabes gnidiella), Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis), Io moth (Automeris io), Lebeau's silk moth (Rothschildia lebeau), Luna moth (Actias luna), Nevada buckmoth (Hemileuca nevadensis-complex), Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus), Promethea silkmoth (Callosamia promethea), Regal Moth (Citheronia regalis), Tulip-tree Silkmoth (Callosamia angulifera)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), Black and gold bumble bee (Bombus auricomus), Black and gold bumble bee (Bombus auricomus), Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), Brown-belted bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis), bumblebee (Bombus Latreille), bumblebee (Bombus Latreille), Central bumble bee (Bombus centralis), Central bumble bee (Bombus centralis), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Confusing bumble bee (Bombus perplexus), Confusing bumble bee (Bombus perplexus), Half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans), Half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans), Hunt's bumble bee (Bombus huntii), Hunt's bumble bee (Bombus huntii), Morrison bumble bee (Bombus morrisoni), Morrison bumble bee (Bombus morrisoni), Northern amber bumble bee (Bombus borealis), Northern amber bumble bee (Bombus borealis), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), 🛑Rusty-patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis), 🛑Rusty-patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis), Southern plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus), Southern plains bumble bee (Bombus fraternus), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius), Tri-colored bumble bee (Bombus ternarius), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Two-spotted bumble bee (Bombus bimaculatus), Two-spotted bumble bee (Bombus bimaculatus), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), Yellow-banded bumble bee (Bombus terricola), Yellow-banded bumble bee (Bombus terricola), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) Sweat Bees: Lasioglossum Curtis (Lasioglossum Curtis), leathery sweat bee (Lasioglossum coriaceum), leathery sweat bee (Lasioglossum coriaceum), pickerelweed shortface bee (Dufourea novaeangliae) Butterflies:American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis), American Snout (Libytheana carinenta), American Snout (Libytheana carinenta), Aphrodite Fritillary (Argynnis aphrodite), Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes), Broad-winged Skipper (Poanes viator), Broad-winged Skipper (Poanes viator), (Pieris rapae), (Pieris rapae), Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice), Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice), Clouded Yellows (Colias Fabricius), Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis), Common Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus communis), Common Ringlet (North America) (Coenonympha california), Common Ringlet (North America) (Coenonympha california), Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus), Common Sootywing (Pholisora catullus), Common Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis pegala), Common Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis pegala), Dun Skipper (Euphyes vestris), Dun Skipper (Euphyes vestris), Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas), Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Field Skipper (Atalopedes campestris), Field Skipper (Atalopedes campestris), Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Great Spangled Fritillary (Argynnis cybele), Great Spangled Fritillary (Argynnis cybele), Large Heath (Coenonympha tullia), Least Skipper (Ancyloxypha numitor), Least Skipper (Ancyloxypha numitor), Meadow Fritillary (Boloria bellona), Meadow Fritillary (Boloria bellona), ⚠️Monarch (Danaus plexippus), Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme), Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme), Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos), Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos), Peck's Skipper (Polites coras), Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Silver-bordered Fritillary (Boloria Moore), Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus), Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus), Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis), Silvery Checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis), Spicebush Swallowtail (Pterourus troilus), Tiger Swallowtails and Allies (Pterourus Scopoli), Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia), Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia), Viceroy (Limenitis archippus), witches (Euphyes-Pompeius-Wallengrenia sp.) (Euphyes Scudder), Zabulon Skipper (Lon zabulon), Zabulon Skipper (Lon zabulon)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, fertile, silty or clay soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Common in wetlands, marshes, and riverbanks