They say that the "sterile" ones revert rarely. But, that's enough for me to stay away from them. I've seen the utter devestation that this plant has done to hundreds (maybe thousands) of miles of wetland shores in Michigan when I lived there. This beautiful plant absolutely chokes out the natural plants and habitat of where it takes hold. It's very sad. It's illegal (punishable by fine) to bring this plant into the state of Michigan.

Yet, here in Ohio I see it planted everywhere. I am assuming it's the sterile variety. I beilieve that people in the know (or those that choose to be careful) stay away from it.

At my garden club a person from a local nursery (Oakland) had it on a list of recommended long bloomers for your garden. When I mentioned it's drawback for the environment he looked at me like I was from Mars. He honestly didn't know what I was talking about. Hopefully, he listened to what I said or thought I was a wacko. - to which I don't care.

Good question, Bakemom.

...Beverly

I've been doing some research on Vinca minor and japanese/amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii.) It seems out tax dollars are being used to propagate AND eliminate these species. Perhaps the same is happening with the loosestrife. Up around the lake it's amazingly pervasive. I drove by a nature preserve that would be more aptly named a loosestrife preserve.

What got me started was an article I found about a group of rangers and volunteers going into Old Man's Cave (in '01 or '02 I think) and pulling Vinca. Now, this summer, the park has a new building, abutting the forest, that is the check-in station for campers with a gift and snack shop. All of the beds in the parking lot are filled with Vinca. Perfect rows of hundreds of plants.

Another example is MORPC (mid-Ohio regional planning commission.) They published their plans and goals for maintaining the greenways along the rivers. Their list of key plant species important to riparian corridors has 5 shrubs, including amur honeysuckle and multiflora rose. Meanwhile, the Columbus Parks and Rec. department includes both of these plants on their list of invasive species, supposedly makes sure they don't grow in the parks, and asks people not to plant them in their yards.

OSU has published info. about the invasiveness of Vinca. Yet it is almost always included in their gardening listerature as a ground cover option.

I just don't get it.

I have had loosestrife Morden or Mordon Pink for perhaps 15 years. The 3 plants have stayed put, and put on a great show each year.

I have had various other types through the years, but they proved to be inferior or spreading so I yanked them.

The Mordon Pink has been a great perennial for me... sterile as a mule. Anchors a corner behind perennial geraniums and a nice tree form wahoo.

Jules

Staders also sells lots of the loosestrife, and it is widely planted. I live on a tributary of Darby Creek, and expect to see some jump over into tht watershed from the planted beds I see around ponds hear and there that drain into that watershed. I have seen some growing in a wet ditch just west of Columbus in Madison County.
Dagget

The nurseries around here sell Mordon Pink and Mordon Gleam. Both are sterile and do not spread much at all. I have had several in my garden for 10+ years. They are beautiful and have not spread very big (about a foot wide each). I have ten acres and have never found one cropping up anywhere else on my property.

The nursery I work at has a hard time keeping it in stock. Everyone wants it and no one has problems with it. We even have some planted in the nursery beds.

To date, I have pulled three more during this year's growing season. They're seeding here from somewhere. Anyone else have experiences positive/negative with this plant?

Four or five years ago a ponding friend sent me some PL in an attempt to prove that I was wrong about its invasiveness. The first year or two it was really not a problem. I planted it in pots and it was very well behaved. I noticed last year that it was now coming up in every pot that was in the pond PLUS it had self seeded in a couple of the rocks that line the perimeter. This year it has jumped the pond and is in the flowerbed along side the stream of the pond. it is blooming now, before it can set seed the blossoms will be removed just as I did last year, obviously missing a few.

The plant is invasive, that much is clear.

Here's the link to the Top 10 invasive plants in Ohio.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ohio's Top Ten Invasive Plants

I've mentioned before about seeing first hand destruction wild purple loosestrife causes in Michigan. Michigan has more shoreline than any state in the country - upper and lower penninsula & 14,000 lakes. It's devistating. It's even illegal at sell or bring the sterile varieties in Michigan.

Yes, it's true..it's only so very, very rarely that it reverts or whatever...that causes it to produce those millions of seeds. I LOVE the look of the plant. It's beauty is wonderful and such a long bloomer.

It's a dilemma - that's for sure.

..Beverly

I have heard that the sterile varieties are self sterile, but may be able to cross pollinate with some other self sterile varieties. I also know that plants are mislabelled sometimes, and based on Murphy's law, if something can go wrong, it will go wrong somewhere and sometime.
I also have seen Jurasic Park and learned that "life will find a way" to reproduce. So, the lesson is, if you plant even sterile loosestrife, someday a giant dinosaur will bend down and bite you.

Dagget - well put. I found two more in my garden today. The one was hiding under some ornamental grass and topped out at 6 feet tall before I noticed it. I was told about the cross pollination issue as well.

I haven't seen the annual PL debate on the Perennials Forum thus far this season. Too bad, it's great stuff.

BakeMom,

I planted Morden's Gleam which is supposed to be sterile. It hasn't grown out of its space (wish I could say same for the black eyed susans)and I haven't noticed any seedlings. I have been cutting back before it sets seed just in case. Still I wonder if I should pull it out just in case.

BTW, I am also a former staff attorney for a judge in Columbus, wonder if we knew each other? I worked for Judge Fais. I don't know you other than by BakeMom. When did you work there? Me from 1994-1996.

I was McGrath 1999-2001. This is my second career. I'm currently doing Loc. R. 103 Arbitrations by appointment, leaving me time to supervise my three teenagers. My name is Karen McCoy - I'm in the CBA directory. Where are you now?

On the purple loosestrife, I personally felt I had no choice but to yank them all. This was after a lot of research, conversations with other gardeners and the annual purple loosestrife debate on the Perennials Forum. My reasoning is: why take the chance? There are so many nice things to grow that aren't potential environmental hazards. But it's still a hot debate.

Run some searches and ask questions - then decide for yourself. I'm not down on people who grow it - it's just not something I'm going to flirt with.

That's why I posted this. I think it's an important issue and one that should be discussed. I'm interested in hearing both sides and respect the choices each gardener makes.

I found three more this spring as I mentioned and three more this summer - mine was not sterile.

What a small world! Your name sounds familiar. I probably met you when I was in McGrath's court for status conference or something. My name is Kim Hensley (maiden name Davis) and I'm also in the directory (with a terribly outdated photo). After court I went to Lane Alton, now I"m in-house at Nationwide. 103 arbs is a good thing to get into, very flexible and I bet it gives you free time for gardening! In-house work also gives me a lot more free time than working for a firm.

I know what you mean about the loosestrife, it is bothering me even though it is supposed to be sterile. I'm leaning toward replacing it with tall phlox. I need something tall to standout behind the huge patch of black-eyed susans that are taking over that part of the yard. Any suggestions for a long-bloomer that would make a good substitute to pair with BES?

Garden Girl
Are you a member of the N-wide garden club?

I would suggest purple coneflower w/BES. Not so much as a backdrop but a mix, can send you a picture of the combo if you want.

I live in Madison cnty on the Little Darby and haven't seen any in the immediate area yet. Its too bad more isn't being done to stop a pendng disaster.

Kim, I think we have met. Your name is familiar and of course, Lane Alton had a lot of cases with us. I'm going back to work full time this fall and am facing the choices you suggest - private or in-house, or perhaps government?

I echo echinacea as an alternative. Also purple liatris. The white liatris is nice too - very haunting.

Very good suggestions! The echinacea may be the winner as it has already self-sown through the fence and is very nearby already! Once those set seed the entire corner may be covered with it next year. I like the idea of the liatris too. I bought some at DeMonyes this year (purple) but have never seen the white. I'll have to watch for it.

Good luck with the back to work decision. Personally, I don't think I'd want to do the private firm thing again - way too hard to have a life and make your billable hours. I'd rather be in the garden on the weekends! Government has its good points as well as being in-house.

I hope to meet you (again) face to face at the event in Hilliard on the 18th. Happy gardening!

I have seen some loosestrife growing in a ditch along Ohio SR 665 over in Madison County near the Franklin County Line, in the watershed of the Darby Creek. That was a couple years ago, and I haven't happened to travel to London at this time of year recently to see if it is still there.
Seems to be lots of Columbus area legal folks in this forum. Does my posting name of "Dagget" place me?
Dagget

Thanks to its havit of reseeding with abandon, I've got purple coneflower mixing next to the black eyed susans. I've decided to take out the loosetrife. Two candidates for planting in place of the loosetrife are Boltonia and Joe Pye Weed (maybe one of the varieties about 4' tall). I've got one boltonia now and I really like it and have been wondering where to put in some more.

Gee Dagget, I didn't think about it before but now you've got me curious. I'll have to check out the CBA website.

P.S. byrdzeye, I am a member of the N-wide garden club. Are you???? We're a small bunch so if you are I'm sure we've met!

Found Kim in my mouldly 2002 CBA. Nice pic. When we went through they wanted us to have pictures taken after a baseball game at the then new OSU fields. RIGHT. Where's the Dagget?

That picture is OLD! But I won't risk going down there and getting another one taken and having it look like my driver's license! I couldn't find Dagget in the CBA directory but that name sounds really familiar. Who would have thought there'd be so many of us lawyers lurking in the garden web?

guess I should say something about plants==Has anyone grown the Eupatorium called Chocolate? I saw it advertised somewhere recently and it has dark foliage and I think it gets only about 4 feet tall. I thought that might be nice with the Black eyed susans.

Can't wait to meet you all in person at the swap!

I've seen chocolate Joe Pye locally in early spring and it's fairly common on the main Seed Exchange. I would like to see what it does in mid summer. Should I barter for a trade or two over on the main exchange?

I think there are so many professionals here because gardening is such terrific therapy after a particularly crummy day. Plus, it's very mind-clearing for me to work on seeds and plants and mull over a tricky procedural issue or anything connected with UIM. he he.

I have solved many peoples' problems while covered with dirt in the pouring rain.

It's my understanding that one of our Common Pleas Judges is an ardent rose gardener. I also know a high profile insurance defense attorney who's mad about growing tomatoes.

Clue us in on the Dagget, Dagget.

I picked the name "Dagget" after a viewing of a classic John Wayne movie. It isn't a reference to my actual name, but you if you can place the movie, you might smile at the reference.
There are indeed many legal type folks who are interested to avid plant people.
I'll post a little more when I have a little time.
Dagget

Now my curiosity is definitely piqued! I think I'll visit the Internet Movie Database since I am not by any stretch a John Wayne movie buff.

I agree with BakeMom that gardening is good therapy. Almost nothing makes me happier than finding a new seedling growing in my garden or finally seeing a combination come together.... Tonight I discovered that my Japanese hakone grass has sprouted a new seedling, or maybe it's a new clump formed from a runner. Either way I don't care because I just LOVE that plant!

BakeMom, ditto the UIM comment, UGH! Everytime I had one of those issues I had to do research all over again just to keep it straight and see which way the S. Ct. was ruling this week. :) Now, which Judge likes to torture him or herself with roses? My guess would be Sadler? Anne Taylor (Muni) is also an avid gardener. I run into her usually every year at the chadwick sale.

All this gardening talk is making me get the itch to go outside. Too bad it's 9 p.m. and I can't see anything out there. Where do you get the energy to go out after work? Sometimes all I can get the energy to do is pull a few weeds and do some deadheading. That's probably why my patio still has so many pots of plants on it waiting to go in the ground! :)