# Hydrilla (*Hydrilla verticillata*) Hydrilla is a green plant that grows underwater in lakes and ponds. It has long, thin leaves and can grow very quickly, making it a great home for fish and other water animals. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Hydrilla](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Hydrilla_USGS.jpg&width=800) Photo: Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hydrilla_USGS.jpg) ## Appearance The Hydrilla is a submerged aquatic plant with slender stems and small, bright green leaves arranged in whorls of 3-8 around the stem. Its leaves often have tiny, serrated edges, making them feel slightly rough, and sometimes a reddish midrib. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Alismatales - **Family:** Hydrocharitaceae - **Genus:** Hydrilla ## Interesting facts - A single Hydrilla fragment, as small as a fingertip, can start a whole new plant! - Hydrilla can produce tiny, wind-pollinated male flowers that break off and float to the surface! - It can grow so densely that it blocks sunlight, stopping other plants from growing below it. - This plant can dramatically change the water chemistry in lakes, impacting fish and other creatures! ## Special abilities - **Rapid Regrowth:** Hydrilla can grow from tiny stem fragments, allowing it to quickly spread and colonize new aquatic areas. - **Winter Warrior:** Hydrilla produces special buds called 'turions' that survive cold winters, helping it regrow vigorously in spring. - **Deep Dive Survival:** Hydrilla can thrive in low light conditions, letting it grow in deeper waters where other plants can't survive. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-1000 cm - **Spread:** 50-500 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.1-0.2 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer-fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Water ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Florida Manatee (*Trichechus manatus*) — Manatees graze on dense Hydrilla beds, helping to control its growth. - **Eaten by:** Mallard (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — Ducks and other waterfowl consume Hydrilla foliage and turions as food. - **Shelter:** [Largemouth Bass](https://www.snappit.app/explore/largemouth-bass) (*Micropterus salmoides*) — Young fish find excellent hiding spots and hunting grounds within Hydrilla mats. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Invasive](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/invasive): Invasive species are non-native organisms that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always stay close to an adult when exploring water areas. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Hydrilla? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Hydrilla? 10-1000 cm ### How wide does Hydrilla spread? 50-500 cm ### How big are the flowers on Hydrilla? 0.1-0.2 cm ### When does Hydrilla bloom? Summer-fall ### Is Hydrilla edible? Yes ### Is Hydrilla toxic? None ### What is Hydrilla's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Upo Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/upo-wetland) — KR · Park ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Hydrilla: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hydrilla)