Species

IDENTIFYING COMMON AQUATIC PLANTS
IN MINNESOTA LAKES

Submerged Plants: INVASIVE

Reeds (Bulrush): Thickly rooted, depending on sediment type. Grows 5-10 feet tall near shorelines in shallow water. Loose cluster of brownish flowers and seeds are located near the tip of stem. DNR allows removal only in a small area to provide boat access to deeper water.

Curly-leaf Pondweed: Early spring removal required. Dies off and spreads more seeds in mid-June if not removed properly.

Eurasian Watermilfoil: Very Invasive. Requires high maintenance and multi-year control. A single stem segment can easily take root and form a new colony.

Submerged Plants: NATIVE

CoontaiI: No roots. Typically requires 3-5 visit maintenance plan per summer. Will float in from neighboring areas and may repopulate quickly.

Flat Stem Pondweed: Firmly rooted, typically in sandy sediment. Requires thorough root removal. May be better to leave alone to prevent less- desirable plants from moving in.

Broad/clasping Leaf: Tough stems; roots firmly, typically in sandy sediment. Grows in beds. Highly resistant to chemical control.

Elodea: Stems form large mass near lake bottom. Compact structure not ideal for fish habitat. Often seen in nuisance conditions. Must collect all fragments.

Eelgrass: Grows very close to bottom in hard sand sediment. Feels like grass. Not possible to de-root 100%; highly resistant to chemical control. May advise to leave alone, or trim down.

Northern Milfoil (above left), often mistaken for Coontail, is not invasive. By-the-root control is effective.

Emergent Plants

Reeds (Bulrush): Thickly rooted, depending on sediment type. Grows 5-10 feet tall near shorelines in shallow water. Loose cluster of brownish flowers and seeds are located near the tip of stem. DNR allows removal only in a small area to provide boat access to deeper water.

Cattail: Thickly rooted, helps stabilize marshy borders and protect shorelines from wave erosion. To preserve Cattail habitat, the DNR permits removal only in a small area for boat access to deeper water. Cutting below the water surface after first frost provides good control. Once an area is cleared, control may not be needed again for several years.

Flowering Rush (Invasive): We specialize in removal of this perennial plant. Grows 1-4 feet high along shores in shallow water; submerged in deeper water. Very difficult to identify, closely resembling Bulrush. Reproduces by spread from root bulb-lets. Both seeds and bulb-lets need to be collected very carefully. Permit required.

Algae

Chara: No roots; free floating. Usually grows very close to bottom. Looks and feels like Eelgrass. Sometimes mistaken for Coontail or Milfoil, but lighter in color. Best to leave it alone. Very healthy for lakes and stabilizes bottom sediments.

Filamentous Algae: No roots; free floating. Begins growth along water's edges or bottom and rises to the surface to form mats. Nuisance growth may indicate excessive nutrients (usually phosphorus). To prevent, limit flow of nutrients into the lake. To correct, break up large surface mats, then apply an algicide.

Floating Leaf Plants

White Water Lily: Grows rooted in mucky or silty bottoms up to 5 feet deep. Flower opens in morning and usually closes by afternoon. Thick tubers make hand-pulling difficult but very effective. DNR will allow a channel 15 feet wide extending to open water by hand-pulling without a permit. Any other destruction of floating-leaf vegetation requires a permit.