Common Water Hyacinth

(Eichhornia crassipes)

Common Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

Forest and Kim Starr

CC BY 2.0

Image By: Forest and Kim Starr

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Copyright Notice: Photo by: Forest and Kim Starr | License Type: CC BY 2.0 | License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ | Uploader: Starr Environmental | Publisher: Flickr

Estimated Native Range

Summary

Eichhornia crassipes, commonly known as Common Water Hyacinth, is a free-floating perennial aquatic plant native to the Amazon basin in tropical and sub-tropical South America. It thrives in still or slow-moving freshwaters such as lakes, ponds, and rivers. The plant features broad, thick, glossy, ovate leaves that can rise above the water’s surface by as much as 1 meter (3 feet). Leaves are 10–20 cm (4–8 inches) across, supported by spongy, bulbous stalks that keep the plant afloat. The feathery, freely hanging roots are purple-black, and an erect stalk supports a single spike of 8–15 lavender to pink flowers with six petals, which are conspicuously attractive and bloom throughout the year in warm climates.

Water Hyacinth is known for its rapid growth rate and ability to cover large areas, which can be beneficial for providing shade and habitat for aquatic life, but also poses a risk of clogging waterways and outcompeting native species. It is often used in ornamental water gardens and for wastewater treatment due to its high nutrient uptake. In cultivation, it requires full sun, abundant water, and can tolerate a wide range of pH levels. While it has no soil requirements, it does need standing water to grow. It’s important to manage growth to prevent it from becoming invasive.CC BY-SA 4.0

Plant Description

Plant Type: Herb
Height: 0.5-0.8 feet
Width: 0.5-1.5 feet
Growth Rate: Rapid
Flower Color: Purple
Flowering Season: Summer, Fall
Leaf Retention: Evergreen

Growth Requirements

Sun: Full Sun
Water: Aquatic
Drainage: Standing

Common Uses

Edible*Disclaimer: Easyscape's listed plant edibility is for informational use. Always verify the safety and proper identification of any plant before consumption., Showy Flowers, Water Garden

Natural Habitat

Native to the Amazon basin in tropical and sub-tropical South America

Other Names

Common Names: Common Water-Hyacinth , Floating Water Hyacinth , Floating Waterhyacinth , Water Hyacinth , Lilac-Devil , Water-Hyacinth , Waterhiasint , Ward El-Nil , Wasserhyazinthe , Dickstielige Wasserhyazinthe

Scientific Names: Eichhornia crassipes , Pontederia crassipes , Eichhornia speciosa , Piaropus crassipes , Eichhornia cordifolia , Eichhornia crassicaulis , Heteranthera formosa , Piaropus mesomelas , Pontederia crassicaulis , Pontederia elongata

GBIF Accepted Name: Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms