Limnobium spongia
USDA, NRCS. 2018. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 28 March 2018). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
Illustration courtesy of University of Florida/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. Used with permission.
What is Frog’s-Bit?
Physical Characteristics
Leaves:
- Thick
- Leathery
- Rounded or somewhat heart-shaped
- Bright and shiny above
- Reddish underneath with rounded lobes
- Central disk of red, spongy cells on bottom
- Leaf stalks are slender and have firm ridges
Stem:
- Floating or rooted
Roots:
- Whitish in color
Frog’s-Bit is often confused with water hyacinth. Although, the two plants are different in their roots and leaf stalks.
Is it Invasive?
Frog’s-bit can form dense mats that crowd out almost all other plants. It can be very aggressive in many water bodies.
Pros and Cons of Frog’s-Bit
Frog’s-bit seeds are eaten by waterfowl. Submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. These invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species (e.g amphibians, reptiles, ducks, etc.). After aquatic plants die, their decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food (called “detritus”) for many aquatic invertebrates.