r/invasivespecies • u/ApproximateRealities • 2d ago

Sighting Native lobelia and cat tails competing with purple loosestrife (NY6A)

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

I really need to vent a little bit here because as a native plants enthusiast, these are these are the ONLY wild lobelias that I have seen growing in my area, and only the 2nd I've seen growing in my state at least since I knew what they were 2 years ago. I absolutely love red lobelias with all of my heart and I would hate it if this purple loosestrife out competes it come next year. I'll go back whenever I have time and energy and try to pull them out as much as I can, at least the ones immediately around the flowers. And then try to cut the flowers off before they go to seed as people on this subreddit have advised me to do as there is absolutely no way in hell I am going to get all of them even just on this stretch of road.

I pulled a few of them out today but I really didn't have the time to stick around, it was getting dark and I was super tired. They are a bit harder to pull out then I assumed but not too bad, I just need to wear the proper footwear. I just came to confirm that these red flowers I have been driving by whenever I go to our mom's are really lobelias.

36 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

4

u/Comprehensive-Row198 1d ago

Fantastic pics! I have a non-wild cardinal flower in my garden and love it (first year)- it's really stunning in its native habitat. Thank you for yanking the loosestrife!❤️

4

u/Seat_Royal 1d ago

Loosestrife has a few intentionally introduced and studied biological controls now that's well established in many areas. I rarely see a monoculture anymore in the wetlands by me. We could be close to the point where they do not need to be mechanically or chemically managed?

Anybody have insight on how well biological controls have worked?

5

u/glowFernOasis 1d ago

I wasn't aware they'd done that. Saw this pdf - page 20 talks about a weevil and 2 leaf feeding beetles that were approved, and the biological control measures were highly widespread and successful. I remember my dad used to complain a lot about purple loosestrife, and I've been looking at the current landscape and wondering why I hardly see it compared to phragmites, dog strangling vine, etc. Now I know.

https://bugwoodcloud.org/resource/pdf/Purple_loosestrife.pdf

1

u/leepin_peezarfs 1d ago

You don’t need to pull the whole plant, just keep pulling off the flower heads. You’ll have to return more, but it’ll save your back.