Purple LOOSESTRIFE : Lythrum salicaria
Often referred to by its botanical name, but also as purple-loosetrife.
The way that striking plants suddenly become conspicuous over spring and into summer is amazing. Those in the photos below were seen in good numbers just above the high water line of the Leven just up from where Alexandra Street and india Street come down to near the water. before the flowers emerged, the stalks and leafs simply blended in with the many other tall greenery. But then these jostled and won their bright purple recognition.
The Wildlife Trusts tell us : Purple-loosestrife can be found in wet habitats, such as reedbeds, fens, marshes and riverbanks, where its impressive spikes of magenta flowers rise up among the grasses. Many tall stems can grow from a single root stock. It flowers between June and August, when its nectar becomes a valuable food source for long-tongued insects, such as brimstone butterflies, red-tailed bumblebees and elephant hawk-moths.
it goes on to say that it is found throughout the UK, but less common in Scotland. But here it is in bright profusion in mid-June.
As we get into July the loosestrife are looking amazing here on the west side of the Leven. It is happily growing amongst other plants such as forget-me-not, meadowsweet, cow parsley and himalayan balsam. ...Wait a minute. Is that himalyan balsam. Numerous plants can co-exist in much the same patch, but himalayan balsam, if left unchecked, and outdo and eventually exclude all others. See INVASIVE SPECIES OF PLANT index.asp?pageid=732296 and index.asp?pageid=732739
WILDLIFE TRUSTS : https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/purple-loosestrife
