Lythrum salicaria : A noxious weed, as defined by Minnesota Law, is an annual, biennial, or perennial which is deemed by the Commissioner of Agriculture to be injurious to public health, public roads, environment, crops, livestock, and other property. In Minnesota, there are ten weeds on the primary noxious weeds list....
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...and so I've been told, I have one of them :)

I was given this beautiful perrenial by my Dad many years ago. It is so lovely and full of color. I took this picture yeaterday. It just jumps out against my white house and I love it!

Weed???, what weed? I call it a flower that's minding it's own business,

and it's not being "noxious" to nobody !

My sweet little old neighbor lady came down a few years ago to tell me that she so loved my beautiful plant on the side of my house, she loved driving by and seeing the beutiful purple blooms. So we walked over to admire it's beauty and she said, "Oh.... that's a Lythrum, where we're from, we call it a noxious weed" She still loved it even though it's a "WEED"... humph!
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A common characteristic of all noxious weeds is their aggressive, competitive behavior. Typically, they steal precious moisture, nutrients, and sunlight from the surrounding plants. Noxious weeds also alter soil properties and the composition of plant communities and change the structure of animal communities.

My weed flower isnt aggressive or competitive, it doesnt steal moisture from my Asters which share the same bed, and it doesnt bother the animals (that I dont have :)

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So maybe my neighbor lady is wrong (with all due respect, Marion)....maybe it's not a noxious plant, even though it looks exactly like the picture I found on the internet (below)....just maybe for once the internet is wrong, maybe it is just a pretty flower, like I think it is. What do you think ? Weed, or flower?

(Photo copied from internet site)