• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Texas A&M Forest Service
  • Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostics Laboratory
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Research
  • Texas A&M College of Agrculture and Life Sciences
AquaPlant
AquaPlantA Diagnostics Tool for Pond Plants and Algae
  • Menu
  • Home
  • Identify a Plant
  • Do I need a permit?
  • FAQs
  • Glossary
  • Videos
  • Online Courses
  • Get Help

Mexican Water Primrose

Ludwigia octovalvis 

Mexican Water Primrose Locations in North America
Mexican Water Primrose Locations in Southeast US
mexican water primrose flowers and fruit

Water Primrose
mexican water primrose roots

mexican water primrose sepals
Mexican waterprimrose missing 2 petals

Water Primrose
Mexican Water Primrose Scale

USDA, NRCS. 2018. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 28 March 2018). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.

What is Mexican Water Primrose?

Physical Characteristics

Leaves:

  • Sword-shaped
  • Reddish along the edges
  • Short leaf stalks

Flowers:

  • Yellow in color
  • Easily lose petals
  • 4 petals
  • 4 sepals, reddish in color
  • Scales reddish-green in color

Fruit:

  • Long
  • Located directly under flower
  • Angled
  • Cylindrical shaped
  • Reddish-green in color
  • Does not open to release seeds when ripe

Seeds:

  • Many seeded

Stem:

  • Branching

Where Does it Grow?

Mexican Water Primrose can be found along the banks of ponds, lakes, and marshes.

Pros and Cons of Mexican Water Primrose

Ducks and other waterfowl will consume the seeds of water primrose. 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.

How to Manage This Plant
Plant Glossary

2023 Aquatic Webinars

Apr. 18: Pond Stocking 

May 16: Aquatic Plant ID & Management Options

Jun 20: Fish Management Strategies

Email Subscription

Receive updates on upcoming webinars and newly published materials.

Sign Up Now

Search for a type of plant

Hire a Professional Contact Your Ag & Natural Resource Agent Aquatic Plant Nurseries Permissions and Citations Aquatic Herbicide Tables
Aquatic Vegetation ID Cards
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Texas A&M University System Member

Photo Credits: The majority of the aquatic plant line drawings are the copyright of the University of Florida Center for Aquatic Plants (Gainsville). They are used with permission.

Aquatic plant photographs were provided by David Bayne, Jim Davis, Kelly Duffie, Billy Higginbotham, Michael Masser, John Clayton, Chetta Owens, Diane Smith, Joe Snow, Don Steinbach, Bridget Robinson Lassiter and Peter Woods.

You may use these photos, so long as you give credit to AquaPlant.

  • Compact with Texans
  • Privacy and Security
  • Accessibility Policy
  • State Link Policy
  • Statewide Search
  • Veterans Benefits
  • Military Families
  • Risk, Fraud & Misconduct Hotline
  • Texas Homeland Security
  • Texas Veterans Portal
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Open Records/Public Information