Plant
Hydrilla
Hydrilla verticillataAlso known as Waterthyme, Esthwaite Waterweed, Florida Elodea
Hydrilla forms dense, tangled mats beneath freshwater surfaces, growing vigorously toward the sunlight and outcompeting native submersed flora. Its slender stems root into muddy sediments and produce nutrient-storing tubers capable of lying dormant for years. Highly adaptable, fragments broken off by boat propellers easily root elsewhere, establishing new colonies with remarkable speed.
AquaticInvasiveSubmerged
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preySunlight, Dissolved carbon dioxide, Aquatic nutrients
Predators
- Grass Carp
- Hydrilla Leaf-mining Fly
- Hydrilla Tuber Weevil
ThreatsAquatic herbicides, mechanical harvesting, and biological control agents
HabitatsFreshwater lakes, rivers, ponds, canals, and reservoirs
Life spanPerennial
Classification
- OrderAlismatales
- FamilyHydrocharitaceae
- GenusHydrilla
- SpeciesHydrilla verticillata
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Inspect Boating Gear: Clean all plant fragments from boat trailers and props to halt spread.
- Observe Leaf Edges: Look for fine serrations along leaves and spiny midribs to confirm identity.
Look-alike Lara Gudmundsdottir / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Competitor (c) Chris Poling, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Chris Poling · cc-by
Predator (c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Same Family (c) Radio Tonreg, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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