Subject: Re: Demise of natural Cattails?
From: "Marque VanPopering" <marq@iserv.net>
Organization: Psychic Guild
Date: 1 Sep 1997 15:37:03 GMT
Message-ID: <MOD$970901.7067@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$970830.8016@rec.gardens.ecosystems>


The plant in question is called the purple loose strife. It's quite a
lovely sight from a distance, and we have them taking over all of the
wetlands in the area where I live. While cattails are nutritious and
provide useful building and nesting materials for many local animals, the
invading plant is virtually useless to everything that lives here. Not
only that, but it competes extremely well for the cattail habitat, and we
expect that cattails will become virtually extinct in this area in the next
few decades.

OperaGoer@webtv.net wrote in article
<MOD$970830.8016@rec.gardens.ecosystems>...
>
> There has been recent press concerning the weed from a
> european-introduction that prefers the low ditches and watery areas but,
> while it has lavender blossoms and is attractive, it is very rapidly
> replacing our natural cattails.
> what possible consequence may this have on our delicate eco-system? What
> birds, insects, animals, etc., depend upon these for part/all of their
> existence?
>
>