Purple Loosestrife Lythrum salicaria LinnaeusNon-native  -  Invasive    Synonyms: Spiked Loosestrife.
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Tracheophyta   >   Class Magnoliopsida   >   Order Myrtales   >   Family Lythraceae   >   Genus Lythrum   

Status:

Purple Loosestrife is an invasive species in Maryland (MISC 2022). "Naturalized from Europe; Newfoundland and Quebec to Minnesota, south to Nova Scotia, New England, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Missouri" (Reed, 1964).

There are 194 records in the project database.

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The highly invasive Purple Loosestrife in the Tanyard marshes of Caroline Co., Maryland (8/23/2009). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/2/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife in Caroline Co., Maryland (7/8/2016). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife in Prince George's Co., Maryland (8/4/2010). Photo by Kerry Wixted. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife in Caroline Co., Maryland (7/8/2016). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife blooming in Kent Co., Maryland (6/22/2013). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife blooming in Cecil Co., Maryland (7/20/2013). Photo by Sean McCandless. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife in Allegany Co., Maryland (8/1/2015). Photo by Kimberly Booth. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife blooming in Harford Co., Maryland (8/24/2016). Photo by Derek Hudgins. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife blooming in Harford Co., Maryland (6/24/2014). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/19/2020). (c) Wayne Longbottom, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife in Caroline Co., Maryland (7/7/2016). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife blooming in Caroline Co., Maryland (7/13/2016). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/16/2016). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife in Garrett Co., Maryland (8/17/2014). Photo by Kerry Wixted. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife in Prince George's Co., Maryland (7/13/2021). (c) thomasanderson496, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by thomasanderson496 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/27/2016). Photo by Kimberly Booth. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife in Harford Co., Maryland (7/11/2008). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife in Allegany Co., Maryland (7/12/2015). Photo by Kimberly Booth. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/27/2016). Photo by Kimberly Booth. (MBP list)

Purple Loosestrife in Baltimore Co., Maryland (8/25/2016). Photo by Kirsten Johnson. (MBP list)


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MBP marks as "Invasive" any taxon listed in the Maryland Invasive Species Council (MISC) list of Invasive Species of Concern in Maryland. You can read their criteria and review the lists here: https://mdinvasives.org/species-of-concern/.