Purple Loosestrife

Description:

This is a non-native species with attractive blooms that has become a serious nuisance that outweighs its worth as an ornamental. Infestations result in dramatic disruption in water flow in rivers and canals, and a sharp decline in biological diversity as native food and cover plant species, notably cattails, are completely crowded out, and the life cycles of organisms from waterfowl to amphibians to algae are affected. A single plant may produce up to three million tiny seeds annually.

Habitat:

Native to Europe, Asia, northwest Africa, and southeastern Australia. Purple loosestrife was introduced to the northeastern U.S. and Canada in the 1800s, for ornamental and medicinal uses. It is officially recognized as an invasive species in most states of the US.

Notes:

Spotted near the walking paths to the Cave of the Winds at Niagara Falls State Park (NY)