Common Water Hyacinth
Pontederia crassipes · Warm-season perennial aquatic floating plant
Grass Family
Pontederiaceae
Grass Category
Aquatic/Wetland Plant
Variety / Cultivar
Wild type
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11, strictly tropical and subtropical outdoors
About This Grass
Free-floating aquatic plant often mistaken for a grass due to dense mat formation, featuring bulbous spongy leaf stalks and glossy rounded leaves.
Blade Characteristics
Broad rounded leaves with parallel venation, thick spongy petioles, bright green color
Root System
Feathery dark purple to black submerged roots, highly branched, suspended freely in water
Growing Information
Origin Region
Amazon basin, South America
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous and free-floating mat-forming
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade, strictly aquatic, highly adaptable and fast-growing
Mowing & Maintenance
No mowing required, manual removal for control due to invasive nature
Special Characteristics
Extremely fast reproduction rate, capable of doubling population in two weeks, severe invasive weed in warm climates
Ecological Information
Highly invasive in waterways globally, clogs water bodies, reduces oxygen levels, but provides cover for aquatic organisms in native ranges