Water Hyacinth

Eichornia crassipes Mart. Solms.

Pontederiaceae (Pickerelweed Family)

Water hyacinth: 

·         a tropical floating aquatic weed that was introduced as a water garden plant from the Amazon basin in 1884

·         has large attractive spikes of purple flowers

·         leaves have air bladder at base to allow plant to float

·         reproduces very rapidly and is one of the world’s worst weeds

·         not found (except as ornamental in water gardens) in Missouri