Flower ID: IMG_0931.JPG-08-30-2018 Flower name (scientific): Lythrum salicaria Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) LITH-rum sal-ih-KAIR-ee-ah Flower name (common): Purple Loosestrife Family name (common): Loosestrife Family name (scientific): Lythraceae Scientific name origin: Genus: From the Greek for gore (blood), referring to the color of the flowers, or possibly alluding to the supposed styptic properties. Specific epithet: Willow-like. Common name origin: From the color of the flowers. The other part, meaning to loose (end) strife, is apparently an ancient mistranslation of lysimachia, taken from the personal name Lysimachus. Flower description: Size: 0.5 to 1.0 inches (1.3 to 2.5 cm) Petal count: 6 Color: purple Other: flower arrangement, Spike Plant description: Size: 12 to 48 inches (30 to 122 cm) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is opposite and/or whorl, type is simple Size: Leaves are up to 10 to 14 cm long and 2 to 2.5 cm wide. Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, lanceolate (IL) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Invasive Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common Bloom time (typical): July to September Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial Habitat: Riverbanks, pond margins, marshes, wet disturbed areas, sun, moist to wet soil. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): To distinguish the restricted invasive species Lythrum salicaria from the native Lythrum alatum (Winged Loosestrife) look for the following: L. alatum has winged stems, smaller flowers about 6 to 13 mm wide, single flowers from each leaf axil, and glabrous stems and leaves, whereas L. salicaria has flowers 13 to 25 mm wide, a spike like cluster of flowers, and hairy stems and calyxes. Ethnobotany: No recorded uses by tribes from Wisconsin. The Iroquois used the plant to treat fevers (Moerman, p. 326, 1998). Latitude: 44.799882 Longitude: -91.508137 Altitude: 229.70 Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Forest, Grant, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AL, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY) In Canada: (AB, BC, MB, NB, NF, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK) References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym: na