Lythrum salicaria was FOUNDI'm happy because I'm enjoying a garden walk in one of my favorite places on the planet. I'm stopping to look closely at the leaves and stems and flowers of as many plants as I can in 15 minutes. I'm looking specifically for invasive purple loosestrife and native wild carrot (Queen Anne's Lace....bird's nest....this one has too many common names to count!). They should both be in bloom at this time of year, which makes my investigation that much sweeter (smelling). Plenty of Japanese beetles here too, but I'm on a plant mission today. Focus. Focus.
Oh yes, I think I stumbled upon some invasive purple loosestrife growing sneakily between a white pine hedge and a chain link fence. I can prove it.
Evidence #1. The flower. There are lots of smaller-than-penny-size pink/purple flowers on spikes. The flowers each have 5 petals.
Evidence #2. The stem. It's square. I took a cross-section. The square sides show up better than I thought they would.
Evidence #2.5. This photo also shows that the leaves are opposite on the stem, and have smooth edges. They're also pretty hairy.
Evidence #3. It's tall. Note the 6 foot tall fence. This loosestrife means business. It is nearly as tall as the fence.
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Good cents
Thanks for putting a penny in your photo. It really helps to know how big or (in this case) how small the flowers, leaves, etc. are.