# Parrot's feather (*Myriophyllum aquaticum*) Parrot's feather is a beautiful aquatic plant that looks like a feather! It grows in water and can be green or reddish-brown. This plant helps keep water clean and provides homes for tiny creatures. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 12 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Parrot's feather](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Myriophyllum_aquaticum_-_side_%28aka%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: André Karwath aka Aka, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Myriophyllum_aquaticum_-_side_%28aka%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Parrot's feather is a striking aquatic plant with bright, blue-green, feathery leaves arranged in whorls along its stems. Its emergent parts rise above the water like miniature pine branches, creating a lush, dense appearance. This fine texture and vibrant color make it visually distinct. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Saxifragales - **Family:** Haloragaceae - **Genus:** Myriophyllum ## Interesting facts - Even a tiny piece of stem can grow into a whole new plant, helping it spread fast! - Its name comes from its bright green, feather-like leaves that resemble a parrot's plumage! - This plant can grow both above and below the water, sometimes even on damp land! - This plant is originally from the wetlands and slow-moving rivers of South America. ## Special abilities - **Super Spreader:** Parrot's feather can grow new plants from tiny stem fragments, helping it spread rapidly and easily in new waters. - **Amphibious Ace:** Parrot's feather can grow completely submerged, float on the surface, or even grow on damp land along water edges. - **Mat Maker:** Parrot's feather has roots that anchor in sediment, allowing it to form dense, interwoven mats that can cover large water surfaces. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-100 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.05-0.1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Shelter:** Mosquitofish (*Gambusia affinis*) — Provides hiding spots for small fish. - **Eaten by:** Water veneer moth (*Acentria ephemerella*) — Larvae can feed on the aquatic vegetation. - **Shelter:** Four-spotted skimmer (*Libellula quadrimaculata*) — Larvae hide among its dense foliage. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [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. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always be careful near water and don't touch plants without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Parrot's feather? 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 Parrot's feather? 10-100 cm ### How big are the flowers on Parrot's feather? 0.05-0.1 cm ### When does Parrot's feather bloom? Spring to fall ### Is Parrot's feather edible? No ### Is Parrot's feather toxic? None ### What is Parrot's feather's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is Parrot's feather pollinated? Wind ## Where to spot - [Cape Charles Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cape-charles-historic-district) — US · Historic District - [Ebenezer](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ebenezer) — Georgia, US · Neighborhood - [Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kenilworth-park-and-aquatic-gardens) — District of Columbia, US · Botanical Garden - [Summerville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/summerville-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Erskine College-Due West Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/erskine-college-due-west-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Gordon Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gordon-avenue-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District [View all places to see Parrot's feather](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/parrots-feather) ## 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: [Parrot's feather: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/parrots-feather)