Common Name: water hyacinth
Family: Pontederiaceae
Common Synonyms: Eichhornia speciosa, Piaropus crassipes
USDA Hardiness Zone: 9a-11
Growth Habit: Aquatic
Origin: Brazil
FISC Category: 1
FDACS Listed Noxious Weed: Yes
Introduction Date: 1890
IFAS Assessment:
Water hyacinth is a floating aquatic herb. The plant forms dense mats and has stolons that sprout young plants. The submerged fibrous roots are a purple/blue/black color. The floating glossy green leaves form rosettes. The flower is showy and ornamental, born from a spike at the center of the rosette. Flowers are a lilac/blue color with a yellow marking.
Canals, rivers, freshwater marshes, swamps
Population doubles size every two weeks. Seeds viable for over 100 years.
NA
Langeland, K. A. and K. Craddock Burks. 1998. Identification & Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas, Gainesville: University of Florida.
Dave's Garden. PlantFiles: water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/661/#b. Accessed June 13, 2017.
IFAS, Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. 2013. http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/eichhornia-crassipes/. Accessed June 13, 2017.