Family

Pontederiaceae

Description

Water hyacinth is a free-floating aquatic perennial recognized for its thick, glossy leaves, swollen spongy stems, and spikes of lavender to violet flowers. Native to the Amazon basin, it is cultivated for ornamental ponds but is considered one of the world’s most invasive aquatic plants, capable of doubling its biomass in as little as two weeks. In ideal conditions, it can form dense mats that block sunlight, deplete oxygen, and outcompete native aquatic vegetation.

Thriving in warm, nutrient-rich waters, Eichhornia crassipes is frost-sensitive and dies back in cold weather. While its rapid growth makes it a water-purifying biomass in controlled systems, its spread in natural waterways often requires mechanical removal or biological control.