Purple Loosestrife

Purple Loosestrife

Lythrum salicaria

Purple Loosestrife is the scourge of wetland managers.  It's really beautiful in dense stands along lake edges, but it chokes out everything else and thus must be eliminated.

Groupings of Purple Loosestrife are a pretty sight

Whole plant

Leaves can be opposite or ...

... or whorled in groups of three

Branching flowerheads