It is usually found rooted in shallow areas up to 3 feet in depth. Underwater stems often appear red or orange. Above water stems and leaves are gray-green in color. Leaves are found in whorls of 3 to 6 and are feathery in appearance. Parrotfeather often forms large mats on the surface of the water in lakes, ponds, and streams.
Reproduction is by fragmentation.
Water hyacinth is a free-floating plant from Brazil and reaches up to 3 feet in height. The leaves originate from a central crown and have inflated spongy stems, with thick waxy leaves. Flower spikes contain 5 to 20 light purple flowers each with a yellow spot. Dark feathery roots hang beneath the plants. The purpose of this brochure is to help regulatory agencies, aquatic plant nurseries, ornamental plant dealers, water garden enthusiasts, and the general public to identify some of the invasive aquatic and wetland plants that have been found commonly in water gardens.