Species & plants
Water lettuce
Also known as: Pistia stratiotes
Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) is a free-floating rosette of thick, ribbed, fuzzy light-green leaves with feathery dangling roots. It is paired with water hyacinth in nearly every Florida lake and shows similar growth rates — doubling weekly in summer. Federally listed as a noxious weed. Often mistaken for a native by homeowners; it is not. Mechanical harvesting and shoreline booms are the two reliable controls.
Related terms
- Water hyacinthA free-floating invasive plant with bulbous petioles and showy purple flowers, capable of doubling in 8–12 days.
- Shoreline boomA floating barrier deployed along a shoreline to catch drifting floating vegetation before it reaches docks.
- Mechanical harvestingRemoval of aquatic vegetation by purpose-built barge with submerged cutter blades and conveyor for off-site disposal.