The Importance of Aquatic Plant Control

Milfoil is a problem, but there are more harmful species that are less talked about. Above are other aquatic weeds that can wreak havoc on lakes and ponds. Brazilian Elodia for example, grows in massive stands that are too thick for anything else - fish or plant life - to inhabit the area. It can grow in deeper water than milfoil so you won't always see it but it is an incredibly suffocating species. Double Anchor's root-pulling technique can effectively control grow-back patterns. Below are a couple links to helpful resources.

Problem Plants

Eurasian Milfoil Brazilian Elodea Curlyleaf Pondweed

African Elodea Hydrilla

Eurasian milfoil is an aquatic invasive species that can grow into thick surface mats that interfere with swimming and boating activities and crowd out native fish and plant species. It is not native to North America, likely arriving in the 1940s. Today, however, it is found in lakes and ponds across much of North America. Milfoil plants grow through a root system and also from fragments that float downstream or are attached to boats or their propellers. The fact that the plants spread so easily, coupled with a growth rate of a foot a week in the hot summer months makes this plant extremely invasive if left unchecked. Any disruption to the water, such as flooding, outboard motors, or other disruption easily causes fragmentation and the spread of the plant.

Brazilian Elodia is a submerged perennial can survive rooted or free floating in freshwater depths up to 20 feet. Brazilian elodea can be found in ponds, lakes and sluggish rivers and streams. Rapid growth leads to dense, monospecific mats on the surface of the water. These mats crowd out native aquatic plant species, provide poor habitat for fish and impede boat movement and other recreational activities.