It may be found in all types of water bodies. Hydrilla stems are slender, branched and up to 25 feet long. Hydrilla's small leaves are strap-like and pointed. They grow in whorls of four to eight around the stem. The leaf margins are distinctly saw-toothed.
Hydrilla often has one or more sharp teeth along the length of the leaf mid-rib.
Hydrilla produces tiny white flowers on long stalks.