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Re: The Lythrum issue

Indiana is one of the states that have banned lythrum (all varieties, sterile or not) for sale, and in fact I see it less and less each year in home gardens. However if one visits the wetlands and shores of the Great Lakes area in Northern Indiana, you will sadly see how devastating it can be.  Of course as the uneducated drive by in summer and see the massive purple plot, they are impressed and do not learn of the loss of wildlife habitat. Ducks and water birds especially have suffered from lythrum suffocating their natural food sources.
What is most annoying is that places like the Chicago Botanic Garden still grows it in their gardens!  They only need to look beyond their boundaries to see the damage that it causes. But they are evidently not environmentally concerned. Too bad...if places like that with such distinction took the lead in education (instead of continuing to grow it just because it isn't illegal in Illinois) think how much good could be done!

Lynn
Nature's Garden

At 08:12 PM 1/4/2003, you wrote:
Drysdale's comment are interesting as are his references but I'm afraid that other detailed ecological studies done conflict with the information he presents.  The simple fact is that by the nature of the plant and its habit, it destroys wetlands.  It tends to grow best on the wetland margin where it appears to extend and expand the bank into the wetland.  Each year as it completes its perennial cycle expanding inch by inch into the wetland.  I do still maintain a certain amount of trust in our scientific community to believe that the nearly dozen U.S. States that have banned it have not done so on a whim.

In any event, as Wetlands Commissioner for the Town of Bedford (N.Y.) if any of you know otherwise please let me know and contribute your wisdom.  Garden writers need to know as well.  Don't we?

Andrew Messinger
The Hampton Gardener
The Hampton Gardener is a Registered Trade Mark
(Published every Thursday in the Southampton Press)

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