Water Hyacinth

Water hyacinth is a free-floating perennial aquatic plant (or hydrophyte) native to tropical and sub-tropical South America. The leaves are 10–20 cm (4–8 inches) across on a stem which is floating by means of buoyant bulb-like nodules at its base above the water surface. They have long, spongy and bulbous stalks.Water hyacinth can reproduce rapidly, and a single plant can produce up to 200 offspring in a single season. The plant has been introduced to many parts of the world outside of its native range, and it has become an invasive species in many areas. Water hyacinth can choke waterways and impede water flow, and it can also provide breeding sites for mosquitoes and other pests. Water hyacinth is considered an invasive species in many parts of the world, as it can quickly spread and choke out native plants and animals. It is thought to have been introduced to North America in the late 1800s, and has since spread to nearly every state in the US. In Florida alone, water hyacinth covers more than 130,000 acres of waterways.