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.