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Preposterous Purple
Purple. It’s a variety of shades made from reds and blues. Out of all the colours, purple is
the most biologically unnatural, although many flowers are purple. It can be a happy colour that
can represent many happy things in our lives or it can resemble angry as if someone’s face goes
purple when they are mad. It can be the symbol for the mind, the body and the soul used within
fantasy. It represents a sign of royalty; purple is a very common colour that kings and queens
would wear. Just like kings and
queens, the colour purple is invading
areas around the world one petal at a
time. Many invasive species inhabit
areas around the world; the purple
Loosestrife in particular is destroying
the native plants and animals all over
North America.
Identification:
The Purple Loosestrife,
scientifically named Lythrum salicaria (if
you feel that information is necessary), is
an invasive flower that was brought to
North America in the 1800sfor
horticultural purposes. It was used for ornamental and medical reasons. Horticulture is the
science; technology and business that are involved with the cultivation of plants for human uses.
It can grow to heights of approximately one to two meters. Although many other Loosestrife
look similar to this purple flower, it can be differentiated by its squared stems and lanced shaped
leaves. The flower can produce up to two million seeds over the span of a year, which results in
the plant being highly fertile and able to cross freely to other flowers. These seeds can spread
into rivers, streams, canals and drainage ditches and can be transported by water to other areas
beyond its initial infestation.
Destroyers:
Since the Purple Loosestrife is not an indigenous
flower in North America, it can be very dangerous and
harmful to those plants and animals native to the land. This
flower provides a poor spawning habitat and clogs drainage
ditches so that other species cannot survive their deathly
grasp. Although the plant isn’t harmful to animals and
humans specifically, it is not a desirable food. It does not make
a good habitat for wildlife either. It eliminates the habitual
space for plants and animals within that ecosystem by taking
the nutrients and space needed for other species to survive. It
also competes with
other flowers as the
bees and butterflies
pollinate them instead
of other flowers. The dense population of Purple
Loosestrife can reach thousands of acres, choking and displacing other species. Without knowing
it, this flower can make other species
endangered or even extinct. As the flower
destroys wetland pastures, meadows and farm
fields it replaces the native grasses and crops.
During a bad season, the seeds of this flower
can hide in the ground for years until it can
grow properly.
Prevention:
There are many means of removing the flowers.
Pulling it by hand, preferably before the seeds set, can be
painful as its time consuming and a hassle. Other
treatments include spot treating with herbicides. Although
Canadian herbicides are illegal, it is a very common in
America to use herbicides and it is most effective when it is applied late into the season when the
plants are preparing for dormancy. Many scientists have discovered that biological control is one
of the best types of prevention. Usually
another species from the plant’s native
home is brought in to control its
production. For example, The Galerucella
beetles were brought from Europe to North
America to control the population of the
Purple Loosestrife flower by feeding off of it.
Laws:
There are many laws across North
America that protects Canada and the United
States from invasive species, but each law
differs between provinces and states. In Prince
Edward Island, the law states, “It is an offence
for any person to import, propagate or sell
purple loosestrife or species of the genus
Lythrum, as well as to collect purple loosestrife or any variety or species of the genus Lythrum
from wild strands for the purpose of propagation.” According to Washington’s state noxious
weed laws, Purple Loosestrife is categorized as Class B. The law states, “Class B species are
designated for control in state regions where they are not yet widespread. Prevention of new
infestations in these areas is the primary goal.”
Those Who Help:
There are many organizations out there that help to protect and restore ecosystems. For
example, MPLP (Manitoba Purple Loosestrife Project) is a non-profit organization that has three
main objectives for stopping the spread of the Purple Loosestrife; Community education, habitat
restoration through bio-control beetle releases and flower mapping and monitoring. Since 1977,
volunteers at the North Branch Restoration Project have helped to rescue, protect and maintain
native prairies in the forest preserves of Cook County along the North Branch of the Chicago
River. Although many organizations
work to illuminate invasive species, not
many of them work specifically to stop
invasive species from their infestations.
Conclusion:
Although the Purple Loosestrife is a harmful flower, many parts of the states and Canada
have worked together to get rid of this invasive species. Many organizations and laws have been
created to avoid the destruction of the ecosystems around North America. Whether it is a couple
of flowers in a garden nearby or an entire field of Purple Loosestrife, it can be a very harmful
thing
http://www.purpleloosestrife.org/
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Purple_loosestrife
http://www.iowadnr.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=4_u-kOYirIo=&tabid=1044
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horticulture
http://www.northbranchrestoration.org/about.html
http://agr.wa.gov/PlantsInsects/Weeds/PurpleLoosestrife/