Cedar Creek
Natural History Area

Plants of Cedar Creek

Family LYTHRACEAE

(Loosestrife Family)

 Decodon verticillata (Swamp Loosestrife) is a ‘special concern’ species in Minnesota, but is abundant along the entire shoreline of Cedar Bog Lake where it forms an invasive mat of twining long stems.  It flowers (pink dangling bells) in late fall, and foliage turns a brilliant crimson just before first frost.  It occurs along the shoreline of a  few lakes in east-central Minnesota.

Also in this family is the notorious Lythrum salicaria (Purple Loosestrife).  It is found in several marshes near here, and it is only a matter of time before it invades Cedar Creek.  One specimen removed from the south shore of Fish Lake in 2001.

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Other genera found in Minnesota but not represented at Cedar Creek include: Ammannia, Didiplis, and Rotala ramosior.  The last mentioned species was found along the sandy shore of Cooper Lake three miles west of Cedar Creek by Barbara Delaney in the 1980's.
 

jhaar@lter.umn.edu Last updated May 2002