Floating-Attached Aquatic Weed Identification

Floating-Attached Aquatic Weeds: weeds with stems, leaves or flowers that may or may not protrude above the water's surface. These water weeds have roots attached to the substrate, lakebed, floor of the water body. Below is a list of Australian aquatic plants species that are considered weeds, links to products we supply and methods we reccommend to use to help erradicate water weeds.

There are also 3 other types of Aquatic Weeds:

Alligator weed

Species: Alternanthera Philoxeroides    Family: Amaranthaceae

     

Distribution

NSW

Description

Ball shaped pinkish papery flower

Mechanical Control

  • Physical removal via skimmers
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Aligator Weed

Cape Pond Lily

 Species: Aponogeton Distachyos    Family: Aponogetonaceae

     

Distribution

NSW, VIC, SA

Description

leaf stems 20cm long, with white forked fragrant flower.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Introduced

Mechanical Control

  • Physical removal via skimmers
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Cape Pond Lily

Cape Waterlily

Species: Nymphaea Caerulea    Family: Nymphaeaceae

     

Distribution

QLD, NSW

Description

Known as blue lotus. Leaves 25-40cm diameter with notch at leaf stems, bright purple/blue flowers.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Introduced

Mechanical Control

  • Physical removal via skimmers

  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain

  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Cape Waterlily

Common Nardoo

Species: Marsilea Drummondii    Family: Marsileaceae

     

Distribution

NSW, QLD, VIC, SA, NT, ACT, WA

Description

Native fern common in drier areas, clover-like fronds with 4 leaflets up to 3cm.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Native

Mechanical Control

  • Physical removal via skimmers
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountains
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Common Nardoo

Floating Pondweed

Species: Potamogeton Sulcatus    Family: Potamogetonaceae

     

Distribution

SA, Vic, TAS

Description

Has submerged and floating thick, waxy leaves up to 10cm long. Fruit has an emergent spike.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Native

Mechanical Control

  • Physical removal via skimmers
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Floating Pondweed

Nardoo

Species: Marsilea Mutica    Family: Marsileaceae

     

Distribution

NSW, QLD, VIC, SA, NT, ACT, WA

Description

Can be confused with leaves of some species of clover. Fronds clover-like with 4-leaflets up to 10cm diameter

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Native

Mechanical Control

  • Harvesting
  • CuttingWeed Razor
  • Weed Razor PRO
  • Lake Mower
  • Weed Rake
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain

>View Products to combat Nardoo

Native Waterlily

 Species: Nymphaea Violacea    Family: Nymphaeaceae

     


Distribution

QLD, NT, WA

Description

Large leaves and pretty flowers. Mature leaves 50cm diameter flowers 6-20cm across.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Native

Mechanical Control

  • Physical removal via skimmers
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Nardoo

Potamogeton Octandrus

 Species: Potamogeton Octandrus    Family: Potamogetonaceae

     


Distribution

NSW, QLD, VIC, SA, NT, ACT, WA

Description

Flower cylindrical spiked fruit branches up to 1cm long. Narrow, eliptical floating bright green leaves up to 4cm long x 1cm wide.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Native

Mechanical Control

  • Physical removal via skimmers
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Potamogeton Octandrus

Swamp Lily

Species: Ottelia Ovlifolia    Family: Hydrochariaceae

     

Distribution

NSW, QLD, VIC, SA, NT, ACT, WA

Description

Native with white flowers showing just above the water's surface. Showy flower 5cm diameter with 3 petals with maroon centre, leaves up to 16cm long.

Life Cycle

Perennial/Annual

Origin

Native

Mechanical Control

  • Physical removal via skimmers
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Swamp Lily

Water Chestnut

Species: Trapa Natans    Family: Trapaceae

     

Distribution

None at present

Description

Plant: annual aquatic plant with a submerged stem; stems can reach 12-15 ft. in length; very fine roots anchor the plant into the mud. 
Leaves: rosette of floating leaves at the water’s surface; saw-tooth margins; triangular in shape and connect to an inflated petiole which provides added buoyancy for the leafy portion; additional, feather-like leaves can be found along the submerged stem. 
Flowers, fruits and seeds: flowers are four-petaled and white; form in June; are insect-pollinated; fruit is a nut with four ½-inch, barbed spines; seeds can remain viable for up to 12 years, although most will germinate within the first two years. 
Spreads: by the rosette and by fruits detaching from the stem and floating to another area on currents or by clinging to birds and other floating objects.al

Life Cycle

Annual

Origin

Introduced

Mechanical Control

  • Physical removal via skimmers
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Water Chestnut

Water Lettuce

 Species: Pistia Stratiotes    Family: Araceae

     


Distribution

TAS, ACT, NSW, QLD, NT, WA,

Description

Also known as water cabbage. It can completely cover water bodies, reducing oxygen, killing fish & attracting mosquito's. Can be 10cm tall and 30 cm wide. Reproduces rapidly by offshoots. Occurs in slow moving waterways in tropical and subtropical warmer temperate regions.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Native

Mechanical Control

  • Physical removal via skimmers
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Water Lettuce

Water Primrose

Species: Ludwigia Peploides ssp. Montevidensis    Family: Onagraceae

     


Distribution

NSW, QLD, VIC, SA

Description

Creeping and floating stems, alternate leaves up to 6cm long and 3cm wide. Stems up to 4m long. Yellow primrose-like flowers in summer.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Native

Mechanical Control

  • Physical removal via skimmers
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Water Primrose

Water Snowflake

 Species: Nyphoides Indica    Family: Menyanthaceae

     


Distribution

QLD, NT, WA

Description

leaves up to 50cm diameter, flower usually snowy white with orage/yellow at base, hairy on inside surface.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Native

Mechanical Control

  • Physical removal via skimmers
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Water Snowflake

Yellow Waterlily

Species: Nymphaea Mexicana    Family: Nymphaeaceae

     


Distribution

NSW, QLD

Description

Brigh yellow flowers, with floating leaves. Flowers last 1 week.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Introduced

Mechanical Control

  • Physical removal via skimmers
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Yellow Water Lily

Eurasian Watermilfoil

 Species: Myriophyllum Spicatum    Family: Haloragaceae

     


Distribution

None at present

Description

Rhizomes rooted to 10m depth, surface reaching from 3-5m. Dissected 'feathery' leaves are in whorls of four, leaves contain 12 to 21 leaflets. Long stems that form surface reaching mats.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Introduced

Mechanical Control

  • Raking & cutting
  • Weed Razor
  • Weed Razor PRO
  • Lake Mower
  • Weed Rake
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Eurasian Watermilfoil

Fanwort

Species: Cabomba Caroliniana    Family: Cabombaceae

     

Distribution

NSW, QLD

Description

Fan shaped leaves, fine branches, giving a feathery look. Solitary flower 2cm diameter from white to pale yellow in colour with possible pinkish/purleish tinge.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Introduced

Mechanical Control

  • Raking & cutting
  • Weed Razor
  • Weed Razor PRO
  • Lake Mower
  • Weed Rake
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Fanwort

Parrots Feather/Thread of Life

Species: Myriophyllum Aquatcum    Family: Haloragaceae

     

Distribution

QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS

Description

Leaves whorled, bright blue-green to 5cm, Stems to 5m, Flowers have 4 triangular white sepals 0.5 long with no petals.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Introduced

Mechanical Control

  • Harvesting
  • Cutting
  • Weed Razor
  • Weed Razor PRO
  • Lake Mower
  • Weed Rake
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain

>View Products to combat Parrots Feather/Thread of Life

Red Watermilfoil

Species: Myriophyllum Verrucosum    Family: Haloragaceae

     

Distribution

NSW, QLD, VIC, SA, NT, ACT, WA

Description

Red leaved stranded plants that flower with 4 petals and 4 sepals. Has energent leaves of reddish-purpleish hue. 

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Native

Mechanical Control

  • Raking & cutting
  • Weed Razor
  • Weed Razor PRO
  • Lake Mower
  • Weed Rake
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Red Watermilfoil

Watermilfoil

Species: Myriophyllum Salsugineum   Family: Haloragaceae

     

Distribution

NSW, VIC, TAS, SA, WA

Description

Stems to c.4m long, 1.5-5mm diameter, Submerged leaves whorled; emergent leaves in whorls of 4 or 5, ovate, usually 5–8 mm long, 3–4 mm wide, entire or with a few short teeth towards apex, green to purplish.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Native

Mechanical Control

  • Raking & cutting
  • Weed Razor
  • Weed Razor PRO
  • Lake Mower
  • Weed Rake
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Watermilfoil

Yellow Bladderwort

Species: Utricularia Gibba ssp. Exleta    Family: Lentibulariaceae

     

Distribution

NSW, QLD, NT, WA

Description

Mostly floating submerged except for emergent flowers of yellow with brown markings. Stems reach 50cm with traps on leaves (1–2.5 mm) that are used to trap insects.

Life Cycle

Perennial

Origin

Native

Mechanical Control

  • Raking & cutting
  • Weed Razor
  • Weed Razor PRO
  • Lake Mower
  • Weed Rake
  • ½ HP Aeration Fountain
  • Harvesting

>View Products to combat Yellow Bladderwort

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Emergent Roots are anchored in the substrate with stems, leaves or flowers projecting above the water’s surface.
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Floating Attached Roots are attached to substrate. Stems, leaves or flowers may/may not be above water’s surface.
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Algae No distinguishable roots, stems or leaves.
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Free Floating Roots are not attached to substrate and float on the water’s surface.
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Submerged Growing below the water’s surface whether attached to substrate or not.
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