Retraction:

By Marie Masters

It’s obvious that our readers love Michigan’s native wildflowers. Many people responded to the mention of purple loosestrife in the recent article “Go Wild in the Garden.” While most agree that it is a “showy” species, to set the record straight, it should not be planted in the process of xeriscaping (the art of landscaping with native wildflowers). As a matter of fact, this invasive plant—largely imported from Europe—can choke out other more native varieties, particularly in wetlands. Merely picking up the seeds on shoes has been known to aggressively spread the plant. So, avoid contact with it for this reason.

As mentioned in the article, it’s best to avoid digging up any Michigan wildflower species. Instead, check out the Wildflower Association of Michigan Web site at www.wildflowersmich.org for planting information. And to learn more about what is being done to control the proliferation of purple loosestrife, click onto www.miseagrant.umich.edu/pp/.