Scientific name: Nitellopsis obtusa What Is It? Starry stonewort is an aquatic, grass-like algae that spreads rapidly and alters water chemistry. It may be found in both freshwater and estuarine environments. Is It Here Yet? No. However, it is a very harmful invasive species elsewhere in the United States, such as Michigan, and has the […]
Scientific name: Hydrilla verticillata What Is It? Hydrilla is an aquatic plant native to Asia, Africa, and Australia. It was introduced to Florida in the 1950s through the aquarium trade. It is a tenacious weed that has several ways to propagate: seeds, plant fragments, tubers, and turions (a type of bud). It is considered one […]
Scientific name: Myriophyllum aquaticum What Is It? Parrotfeather is a bright green aquatic plant with leaves that grow above the water and resemble tiny fir trees. It grows in slow moving rivers, ditches, and shallow freshwater lakes and ponds, as well as on wet soil along shorelines. Parrotfeather rapidly forms dense mats of vegetation that […]
Scientific name: Myriophyllum heterophyllum What Is It? Variable-leaf milfoil is a submersed, rooted, perennial, aquatic plant that is native to the eastern United States. It has both underwater and emergent leaves with dark red to reddish brown stems. It is found in freshwater lakes, ponds, and slow moving rivers. Is It Here Yet? Yes, variable-leaf […]
Scientific name: Caulerpa taxifolia What Is It? Caulerpa seaweed (Caulerpa taxifolia) is native to the Caribbean Sea and the Indian Ocean. It is a bright green, marine alga popular as a saltwater aquarium plant. Called “killer algae,” it is known as the algae that took over the Mediterranean Sea. Is It Here Yet? No, but […]
Scientific name: Egeria densa What Is It? Brazilian elodea (Egeria densa) is a bright green, robust, freshwater plant originally sold in Washington pet stores for aquariums. It roots at the bottom of freshwater bodies, with highly branched stems that grow toward the water surface, reaching up to eighteen feet. As its name suggests, it is […]
Scientific name: Myriophyllum spicatum What Is It? Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) is a submersed plant that grows in a variety of still and flowing freshwater bodies. It can tolerate a range of salinity, acidity, and temperature. Watermilfoil forms dense mats that shade native aquatic plants, restrict water flow, and harm recreation. Is It Here Yet? […]