Purple Loosestrife is an introduced European ornamental that has escaped to invade streambanks and shorelines.

Individual plants can grow from 6 to 8 feet tall on moist and marshy sites.

The plant blooms in early to mid-summer with stalks of showy purple flowers. It can be confused with similarly flowering plants, but can be recognized by its distinct square stem.

The plant is a prolific seeder and seeds can stay viable in the ground for several years. Purple Loosestrife crowds out all other vegetation and forms dense stands for hundreds of feet along waterwats and estuaries.

Purple Loosestrife can be found throughout Clatsop County. The heaviest infestations are along the shores of the Columbia River Estuary including Youngs Bay.

For more information on Purple Loosestrife and other weeds, please visit the following Web sites:

California Dept. of Agriculture
http://pi.cdfa.ca.gov/weedinfo

USDA Home page for all plants. Click on "invasive and noxious" or use Search feature
http://plants.usda.gov

Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service _ Noxious Weed Home page
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/weeds/

Wildlife Invasive Species Team/nature Conservancy - Searchable website
http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/esadocs.html