Eelgrass (Vallisneria)

Native eelgrass (Vallisneria americana) is the primary spawning and nursery habitat for largemouth bass, bluegill, and shiners across the Southeast. It grows as flat ribbon-like leaves from a single rosette base on the bottom — no whorls, smooth edges, no tubers. The most common identification mistake is treating eelgrass like hydrilla and killing the fish habitat with broad-spectrum herbicide. Mechanical removal selectively harvests hydrilla while leaving eelgrass intact.