American Pondweed

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 American Pondweed?

Physical Characteristics

Leaves:

Submersed Leaves:

• Thin
• Oval-shaped
• 8 inches long
• 1.38 inches wide

Floating leaves:

• Leather-like texture
• Long leaf stalks
• Elliptical-shaped
• Somewhat rounded at base
• 4.3 inches long
• 1.75 inches wide

Flower:

• Receptacle usually wider than stem
• Immobile
• Greenish-brown in color
• Oval- or elliptical- shaped

Stems:

• Rhizome white & spotted with rusty red
• Simple
• Often flat
• 0.05 – 0.08 inches in diameter

Roots:

• Branch from rhizome

Where Does it Grow?

American pondweed can be found in streams and lakes.

Pros and Cons of American Pondweed

American pondweed is highly utilized as food by ducks and some other types of wildlife. 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”) or many aquatic invertebrates.