Purple Loosestrife, Lythrum Salicaria

Day 323: "We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you Purple Loosestrife." Yes, I know I promised my readers more photos from the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, but my leisurely kayak outing on Mineral Lake turned into an invasive plant survey before I'd gotten halfway to the far end. I found two well-established clumps of it along a 50-foot stretch of shoreline and at least one single stem in between the two. I was not equipped to remove it, so took photos and turned in a report to the Invasive Plant Council as part of my volunteer duties.

This "weed" is not yet a serious problem in western Washington, but as a Class B invasive, it is on the hit list for eradication. Class B invasives are those which may be abundant in one part of the state, but may be rare or absent in another. The goal is to control them before they have a chance to spread. Class B invasives include such things as Spotted Knapweed, Policeman's Helmet, Poison Hemlock and Japanese Knotweed, although extermination of the latter would appear to be a hopeless cause. It is important to know how to control a particular invasive. Some can be dug out, but in other cases, digging is contraindicated (Knotweed is a case in point). If you have an invasive on your property, be sure to find out the proper control method for the species.