History, Impacts, and Control of Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) in Minnesota

Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is an infamous invasive plant species in wetland habitats. It was introduced to North America through multiple pathways. While herbicides and other attempts to eradicate purple loosestrife have proved mostly ineffective for various reasons, the introduction of the plant's natural herbivores has shown promise. This paper provides an overview of research done on purple loosestrife's introduction, biology, impacts, and control methods with an emphasis on its history in Minnesota. Understanding the history and past efforts made to control this plant can be an important reference point for future work.