Water Hyacinth

Scientific name: Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms

Common names: Common water-hyacinth, floating water hyacinth, jacinthe d'eau, Wasserhyazinthe, jacinto-aquatico, lechuguilla

Native To: South America

Date of U.S. Introduction: 1884

Images: Invasive.org and Google

Means of Introduction: Ornamental

Impact: Forms dense colonies that block sunlight, clog water intakes, and crowd out native species

Current U.S. Distribution:

• PLANTS Database map (see complete PLANTS Profile for county distribution and native status)
• Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (county distribution for Southeastern States)

Management Plans: Aquatic Species

Selected Internet Resources:

• Federal Government
• State Government
• University/Academic
• International
• Organizations

Eichhornia crassipes
Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
Taxonomy

Status of Waterhyacinth/Hydrilla Infestations and Associated Biological Control Agents in Lower Rio Grande Valley Cooperating Irrigation Districts, ERDC/EL SR-00-11, Sep 2000 (PDF | 5.25 MB)
United States Army Corps of Engineers. Engineer Research and Development Center.
Controls; Research

Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms (Waterhyacinth) - Aquatic Plant Information System (APIS)
United States Army Corps of Engineers. Engineer Research and Development Center. Environmental Laboratory.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution

Water Hyacinth Research - TEKTRAN database
USDA. Agricultural Research Service.
Research

Watch Out Water-hyacinth! New Jungle Enemies Are Coming (Mar 2000)
USDA. Agricultural Research Magazine.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Controls

Eichhornia crassipes Article Citation Search - AGRICOLA Database
USDA. National Agricultural Library.
Research; Special Note: NAL Catalog Search (resources)

Eichhornia crassipes - Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN)
USDA. ARS. National Genetic Resources Program.
Taxonomy; Legal Aspects

Waterhyacinth - Biological Control of Invasive Plants in the Eastern United States
USDA. Forest Service.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Distribution; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Controls

Plant Profile for Eichhornia crassipes - PLANTS Database
USDA. NRCS. National Plant Data Center.
Taxonomy; Photographs; Distribution; Legal Aspects

Eichhornia crassipes
DOI. Florida Integrated Science Center.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Distribution

Aquatic Pest Control - Water Hyacinth, Egeria Densa
California Department of Boating and Waterways.
Controls; Legal Aspects

Water Hyacinth - Weed Alert (PDF | 245 KB)
Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Invasive Plant Management.
Introduction History; Photographs; Illustrations; Impacts; Distribution; Special Note: Water Hyacinth Management – A Good Example of Maintenance Control in Florida (PDF | 166 KB)

Water Hyacinth Anchored & Floating (PDF | 298 KB)
Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Potential Invader Water Hyacinth: An Exotic Aquatic Plant Eichhornia crassipes (PDF | 528 KB)
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. Office of Water Resources. Lakes and Ponds Program.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Water Hyacinth
State of Washington. King County Department of Natural Resources. Water and Land Resources Division.
Identification/Description; Illustrations; Introduction History; Dispersion; Controls

Water Hyacinth
Washington State Department of Ecology. Water Quality Program.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Introduction History; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Water Hyacinth I. Current Status and Distribution Eichhornia crassipes (Nov 2007; PDF | 653 KB)
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Photographs;Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Eichhornia crassipes (Common water-hyacinth,floating water-hyacinth) - Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE)
University of Connecticut. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Water Hyacinth
University of Florida. IFAS. Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Introduction History; Controls

Geese for Water Hyacinth Control
University of Florida. Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Controls

Water Hyacinths - Exotic Aquatics of the Gulf Coast
Louisiana Sea Grant. Louisiana Marine Education Resources.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Water Hyacinth - Exotic Aquatics on the Move
National Sea Grant Network and Geographic Education Alliances.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Distribution; Controls

Water Hyacinth - Introduced Species Summary Project
Columbia University. Center for Environmental Research and Conservation.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Controls

Water hyacinth - Aquaplant
Texas A&M University. Texas Agricultural Extension Service.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Introduction History; Controls

Biological Control of Weeds in Texas: Water Hyacinth
Texas A&M University. Entomology.
Identification/Description; Photographs; History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Controls

International

Water Hyacinth - Pest Series (PDF | 184 KB)
Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines (Australia).
Identification/Description; Photograph; Illustrations; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Eichhornia crassipes (aquatic plant) - ISSG Global Invasive Species Database
World Conservation Union. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Waterhyacinth Plant Fact Sheet
Aquatic Plant Management Society.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Distribution

Eichhornia crassipes
Discover Life.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls

Water Hyacinth - Identification and Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas (PDF | 108 KB)
Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution

Common water hyacinth
Invasive.org.
Photographs; Special Note: Resources

Eichhornia crassipes (Water hyacinth)
Nature Conservancy. Global Invasive Species Initiative.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls; Special Note: Element Stewardship Abstract with excellent set of references

Eichhornia crassipes
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Eichhornia crassipes
Pulling Together Initiative. Texasinvasives.org.
Taxonomy; Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Impacts; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Dispersion; Controls; Special Note: References

Water hyacinth - Practical Guidebook to the Control of Invasive and Aquatic Wetland Plants of the San Francisco Bay-Delta Region
San Francisco Estuary Institute.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Impacts; Habitat; Controls

Water Hyacinth - Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council Invasive Plant Manual
Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Illustrations; Introduction History; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls

Eichornia crassipes: Water Hyacinth
Western Aquatic Plant Management Society.
Identification/Description; Photographs; Introduction History; Life Cycle; Habitat; Distribution; Controls; Special Note: References