Lythrum alatum
USDA, NRCS. 2018. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 28 March 2018). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
Illustration: USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York. Vol. 2: 581.
What is Winged Loosestrife?
Physical Characteristics
Leaves:
- Elliptical to sword shaped
- 2.17 inches long
- 0.39 inches wide
Flowers:
- Stalk 0.2 inches long
- Oval-shaped petals
- Purple, red, lavender, or blue in color
- Petals 0.16-0.28 inches long
Stem:
- 3+ feet tall
Where Does it Grow?
Winged loosestrife can be found in meadows, prairies, marshes, ditches, and around ponds and lakes.
Pros and Cons of Winged Loosestrife
Submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species (e.g. amphibians, reptiles, ducks, etc.). After aquatic plants die, their decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food (called “detritus”) for many aquatic invertebrates.