Have you seen this plant? Watershed group on the hunt for purple loosestrife

The Stratford Area WatershedImprovement Group is trying to prevent the spread of a highly invasive species on P.E.I.

Purple loosestrife grows between two and five feet tall and looks a bit like a lupine or fireweed, but its blossom stem is thinner than either one of those plants.

It often shows up near streams, rivers and wetlands. If left to spread, it can squeeze out native species of plants.

Maddy Crowell, coordinator of the Stratford Area Watershed Improvement Group, said anyone who sees a small patch can pull it up by hand.

"It spreads through its seeds," said Crowell.

"If you can contain your patch by pulling it up by the root that would be really helpful, and doing that before it goes to seed is even better. But if it's in big, big patches, it may be very hard to contain."

Crowell says those bigger patches can sometimes require a more aggressive approach, such as smothering the patch by covering it with a tarp.

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With files from Stephanie Kelly