Purple loosestrife spreads by a couple of mechanisims, according to what I hear.

It produces thousands of seeds per plant.  I don't know how much better the seed set is with honeybee pollination, but they seem to still have plenty of seeds set without honeybees.  I suspect that bees increase this set, as they do for most plants.  I am not aware of any studies about seed set and pollination of this plant.    I have also been told that they spread from the roots, (but this may be incorrect.) so pulling it up may be innefective unless all the roots are removed.

There are several thoeries about it's introduction.  One is that people brought it over as a garden plant.  It is rather nice looking, and it can also bee used as a Dye plant to make a fairly deep colored black dye.  (A good reason to rip up large quantities of the stuff.)    A second theory is that the seeds were imported in ballast.   The last theory I have heard is that the seeds were clinging in the wool of sheep, or shorn fleeces that were imported.

The honey I get when the Purple Loosestrife blooms is not very popular,  It has a "Bite" that is a bit strong for most people, and it is an odd color- almost the same color as "Mountain Dew" soda.   My friends and customers prefer Star Thistle (Spotted Knapweed) overwhelmingly.

Ellen In Michigan

  "Todd D. Hardie" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: 1) Do the visits by the bees to purple loosestrife increase its spread
throughout the areas where it is now growing and increasing each season?
2) How does the purple loosestrife spread?