What Are the Purple Flowers Covering Michigan Fields?

Here's what you need to know about all of those beautiful purple flower-covered fields you see blooming in Michigan.  As the weather gradually warms up we are seeing gorgeous purple fields blooming around Michigan. How do these purple flowers affect us locally?

What Are the Purple Flowers Covering Michigan Fields?

1. Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)

Purple Loosestrife is an invasive plant that can quickly take over land while taking out other plant life in its way.  Loosestrife can usually be found along the sides of roads as well as damp fields as it thrives in wetlands.  This plant can grow up to 10 feet tall and can be a real problem for local habitats according to Michigan.gov,

Given the right conditions, purple loosestrife can rapidly establish and replace native vegetation. This can lead to a reduction in plant diversity, which reduces habitat value to wildlife.

2. Purple Deadnettle (Lamium Purpureum) and Henbit (Lamium Amplexicaule)

Purple Deadnettle and Henbit grow together in fields starting in the fall as they are winter annuals that complete their development in the Spring according to Michigan State University,

...common weeds in the mint family that appear in early spring. They tend to grow in areas where the soil has been disturbed, such as fields, gardens and areas along buildings.

The beautiful purple leaves fade to green when the plant matures.  These plants are loved by pollinators because they are a great source of nectar for honey bees and bumble bees.

Surprisingly, no reports are linking our current allergy issues with these flowers that are in the mint/weed families.