Until they mature, daughter fronds may remain attached to the parent frond. Rapidly growing plants often have three or four attached fronds, giving rise to this plant's common names. They float at water surface like most other Duckweed species. Plants may overwinter as seeds or as adult plants submerged beneath the ice. This species is not known to produce the overwintering turions, dormant vegetative structures, found in other Duckweeds.
Duckweed reproduce at twice the rate of other vascular plants.
Easily grown in garden ponds, where it removes excess nutrients from the water while providing surface shade, both of which act to inhibit algae growth. Like most water plants, does best in full sun. Goldfish, and other carp, are particularly fond of duckweed. Can be invasive in garden ponds without goldfish, but can be controlled rather easily by surface skimming with a hand skimmer from a swimming pool supplier. Just throw it in the compost - it's rich in nutrients.