Waterwheel
Regional Distribution Not Present Within NYS, waterwheel is only found within the Catskill PRISM region. WNY PRISM Priority Tier 1 – Raise Awareness NYS Invasive Species Tiers Chart – Tier Definitions Pathways This plant was intentionally introduced to North America as a means to save it from extinction in its native range. Waterwheel can spread by […]
Carolina Fanwort
Carolina fanwort forms extremely dense stands that clog drainage systems and waterways, interfering with recreational activities. Dense stands also negatively impact native biodiversity.
Flowering Rush
Flowering rush is a perennial, herbaceous, aquatic plant that grows 1-4 ft. tall, on an erect stem. The narrow, pointed leaves are triangular in cross section and have smooth edges and parallel veins.
Yellow Floating Heart
Yellow floating heart is an herbaceous perennial that has stout, branching stems. The heart-shaped, almost circular, leaves are usually oppositely arranged and frequently purplish underneath. Bright yellow flowers have 5 petals and distinctively fringed edges. It spreads both vegetatively and by seeds.
Variable-leaf Watermilfoil
Variable-leaf watermilfoil is a submerged perennial that looks like many native plants, including native watermilfoil species. It has 4-6 feathery leaves whorled around the stem, but some leaves can be alternate. Its leaves are divided into 7-14 pairs of leaflets, the dense leaf arrangement gives this plant a bottle brush appearance. Stems are thick and reddish-brown. In mid to late summer, blade-like, serrated leaves with small, reddish pink flowers form an erect spike that emerges from the water.
European Frog-bit
European frog-bit is a free-floating, short-lived perennial. The leaves are leathery and round with undersides that may be dark purple. Flowers are white with yellow centers, and bloom in the summer.
Water Chestnut
Water chestnut is a fast-growing, floating annual that can grow to 16 ft. The most distinctive trait of this plant is its thorny nutlets.
Brittle Naiad
Brittle naiad is an herbaceous annual that grows in dense clusters. Its leaves have visible serrations and are long, pointed and oppositely arranged on highly branched stems. The plant can reproduce from stem fragments, or from small seeds which grow along its stem.
Brazilian Elodea
Brazilian elodea is a submerged perennial that looks similar to american waterweed (Elodea canadensis), a common native aquatic plant. Brazilian elodea has finely-toothed leaves that are bright green, bushy, and are usually arranged in whorls of four around the stem. The plant has round stems that can grow in water up to 20 ft. deep and often branches near the surface. It reproduces via plant fragmentation.
Hydrilla
Hydrilla is a submerged perennial that looks similar to american waterweed (Elodea canadensis), a common native aquatic plant.
Eurasian Watermilfoil
Eurasian watermilfoil is a submerged perennial that looks like many native aquatic plants, including native milfoil species.
Curly-leaf Pondweed
Curly-leaf pondweed is a submerged perennial that resembles many native pondweeds. Care must be taken to correctly identify this species. Rigid, reddish-green, oblong leaves have distinct, finely-toothed, wavy edges. The plant’s flat, reddish-brown stem grows from 1-16 ft. Most reproduction is from winter buds, called turions.
