Eichhornia crassipes
common water hyacinth, water hyacinth, floating waterhyacinth, floating water hyacinth, jacinthe d'eau, jacinto de agua, lirio acuatico, mbekambekairanga
Family
Pontederiaceae
Leaf Arrangement
alternate, basal (rosulate)
Leaf Attachment
petiolate
Leaf Margin
undulate
Leaf Type
simple
Leaf Shape
elliptic, ovate, suborbicular
Growth Form
forb, floating aquatic, aquatic
Flower Color
blue, pink, purple, white
Flower Month
April - September
Height (meters)
0.1
Milky Sap
No
Armed/Unarmed
Unarmed
Origin
introduced
Lifespan
perennial
Wetland Class
OBL
Field Characters
Free-floating rosettes that are inflated, bulbus and spongy, sometimes attached by stolons; leaves entire, rounded, thick, glossy, waxy green, waterproof with dense, fine veins; multiple (8 to 15) lavender flowers in a showy spike.
Natural History
Serious aquatic weed costing millions of dollars a year.
Habitat
Ponds and pools, ditches.