What is Pondweed?

Pondweed is a term used to describe a series of freshwater aquatic plants and green algae from the family potamogetone . These types of plants occur worldwide, Elodea variety occurs in North America and aponogetone variety that occurs in Asia, Australia and Africa; Examples of these plants include the American, Illinois, Sago, Southern Naiad, Curly-Liced and Variable-Lip Pondweed. These are permanent, rapidly spreading plants, and although they are used for decorative purposes in gardens and aquariums, they have become problematic as invasive weeds in some areas. Some varieties of plants do not have floating leaves. The floating leaves may be in the shape depending on the type of plant oval, round, elongated, cardiac, curly, barbed or with serrated edges. Floating leaves are generally strong or leather textures and are wider than submerged leaves. Submerged leaves found in all varieties of fish are like a blade-or fiber similar to and areusually thin and translucent. Floating and submerged leaves of different varieties may vary in color yellowish to light green to dark green to dark purple.

Plant flowers appear above the water surface, produced either individually or in dense spikes. Some of the common flower colors are yellow, white, pink, red and purple. Flowers can range from large from large to small. The fruit can be round or flat and can be produced in the peaks of the nuts. New plants come from seeds or distributed rhizomes.

underwater roots, stems and leaves of the pond help keep them well oxgenated. They also provide refuge for many microorganisms and invertebrates. This creation together with plant tubers, floating leaves, flowers and fruit serves as an important source of food for a number of higher animals. When the plants die, they are distributed by water bacteria and mushrooms and returned to the aftergrass cycle to consume microorganisms.

Since these types of plants are very persistent, they can also benefit in cold, ice conditions and can quickly go other aquatic plants. Once rooted, it may be quite difficult to spend a pond, especially if it has spread to a large water area. Methods used to get rid of these plants include mechanical removal, excavating, using herbicides, using water dye and adding grass with a pond.