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The water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a lovely flowering plant that floats atop the water, blossoming with lovely purple flowers, and dangling its roots into the water where it acts as filter and spawning mat for pond inhabitants. It is also a nightmarish weed that clogs warm climate waterways in thick mats impenetrable by fish and boats and upsetting to the ecological balance.
The water hyacinth is a native of South America, and was imported to various parts of the world as an ornamental plant. Unfortunately in warm climates where it is not native, the plant multiplies with astounding speed, restricting ship and boat traffic, preventing fishermen from earning a living, and even killing aquatic plant and animal life that cannot get adequate oxygen because of the thick mass of plants that eventually covers the waters' entire surface. Animals who walk out onto it are sometimes carried away on a raft composed of the plant. Ultimately as much as 200 tons of water hyacinth can cover one acre of water surface.
The water hyacinth multiplies by runners that shoot out from the original plant. It can grow to three feet in height. It has interesting bulbous areas at the base of each stem which are filled with a spongy mass full of air pockets. The flowers are a delicate lavender color with blue markings centered by brilliant yellow centered on the front petals.
Each plant can double in under twelve days. In ornamental water gardens the plant's thick root system provides filtration for the water. Some municipalities in Canada, California and other places have found the plant useful in water filtering plants, where it removes large amounts of heavy metals and other toxins from the water. Unchecked, however, the plant will prevent the water from acquiring sufficient oxygen from the air, and it will become stagnant. It has done exactly this in the waterways of many parts of the world, devastating economies and ecosystems.
Water gardeners in cool climates where winter temperatures routinely drop to freezing each year can legally obtain and grow the plant. In a carefully monitored pond these plants make lovely filtering plants. When water slowly crosses their roots, they act as a biological and mechanical filter, converting toxins to harmless chemicals, and removing particulate matter.
In places like the southern United States, where the plant has been known to overpopulate in public water systems, it is generally illegal to sell or own the plant. Water gardeners who keep the plant are urged to be responsible when disposing of it. Never allow it to enter public waters, and compost or destroy the excess plants you take from your pond.
Mechanical means have been partially effective in eradicating the plant, but when it is thick, it can kill the engines of weed eating ships. Chemical controls threaten other plant and animal life in the area. The most effective methods of controlling water hyacinths are the introduction of certain moths and weevils that feed on the plant. So far the natural method has worked best. It is hoped that the introduction of these bugs won't eventually affect the balance in the area beyond what is intended.
A number of uses have been found for the plant. Among these uses, its leaves can be made into cloth and crafts items, and it can be fed to livestock.
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