Species & plants
Water hyacinth
Also known as: Eichhornia crassipes, Pontederia crassipes
Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is the fastest-spreading floating aquatic invasive in North America. Identified by glossy oval leaves, inflated bulbous petioles that act as flotation, and showy lavender-purple flowers with a yellow blotch. In warm water with adequate nutrients, hyacinth populations double every 8–12 days. A single rosette can produce 1,200 daughter plants in 120 days. Listed as a Class I Prohibited Aquatic Plant in Florida under FAC 5B-64 — possession, transport, or sale without a permit is illegal. Mechanical harvesting is the only durable control method.
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Related terms
- Doubling timeThe time required for an aquatic plant population to double in biomass under given conditions.
- Mechanical harvestingRemoval of aquatic vegetation by purpose-built barge with submerged cutter blades and conveyor for off-site disposal.
- Shoreline boomA floating barrier deployed along a shoreline to catch drifting floating vegetation before it reaches docks.
Related articles
- How to remove water hyacinth from a private Florida lakeWater hyacinth doubles in size every 8–12 days during Florida summer. Here's what works — and what doesn't — for private lakefront owners.
- Aquatic invasive weeds in the United States: identification guideNine invasive aquatic plants cause the majority of waterway damage across the United States. Here's how to identify each one before treatment.