What is Elodea?

Elodea is a water plant in the family hydrocharitaceae , which is commonly used in aquariums and ponds to provide oxygen for fish. Although this perennial originally in North America has spread to local waters in many parts of the world and is often considered a harmful weed. Ordinary name for American or Canadian water kelp, Elodea canadensis , is Anacharis - an older term for the family. Anacharis is often confused with other invasive aquatic plants such as Brazilian Elodea, Egerie and Hydrilla. The American species has a faith of three leaves, while the second species generally has a larger number of leaves in each of them. The Brazilian species is also a much larger plant. P.Nebříi grow best in water -rich water, but can grow in different environments. They can survive short stays on the ice and be from the water for several weeks if they are exposed as dense colonies. These plants require water that is relatively always and will not grow in fast running water.

Elodea grows to the surface of water, but will not grow over it. It produces small white flowers on the surface. Due to the lack of male plants, seed is rarely produced.

However, these types of plants can fragment . The pieces tears and can live separately while they float in the water. This is the primary way of spreading the plant. Such fragments can be picked up by ships or migration of birds for their nests. Plant stems can grow to 6.7 to 10 feet (2 to 3 m), but the colonies can spread to hundreds of acres.

Eradication efforts were difficult because the plants can spread and run new colonies. The mechanical effort to harvest has been tested. It was found that it was necessary to set the filter system downstream to capture some of the Elodea pieces that could break off. Efforts to introduce fish to eat plants have encountered various problems. One solution that worked is to introduce an opaque material that causes so much shadowU that the plants are dying.

In North America, Elodea is a generally useful plant. It provides hiding for water animals such as small invertebrates and fish. Some sources say animals such as waterfowl and beaver eat plants. It is also economical as an aquarium plant. However, it is illegal to sell in some parts of the United States.