water hyacinth

[MoonShadows]

As of January 2017, Water Hyacinths are banned in the following:

Anchored Water hyacinth (Eichhornia azurea)
FED; AR, AZ, LA, MA, NE, OK, OR, TX, WV

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) - Common Water Hayacinth
AL, AR, AZ, CA county regulated, LA, NE, PR, SC, TX, City of Chicago...(Minnesota and WI considering a ban)

Waterhyacinth (Eichhornia spp.)
FL

 

[Lisak1]

The City of Chicago bans weird things. They have far bigger things to worry about than pond plants and goose liver (says this suburbanite).

 

[bagsmom]

I think I killed mine in my misguided attempt to fertilize. I'm guessing it was the chlorinated water. Big dummy. (Banging head on computer.) Oh well. Lesson learned!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Oddly enough I think it's banned in Wisconsin. Am I right @JBtheExplorer ?

No, Water Hyacinth is not banned in Wisconsin. As far as I know, the only popular water garden plant that is banned in Wisconsin is Parrot's Feather.

 

[sissy]

funny West Virginia bans them but Virginia does not and it is warmer here .I have never seen them in any farm ponds around here

 

[adavisus]

http://www.conservationmagazine.org/2014/03/water-hyacinth-in-kings-bay/

 

[Lisak1]

No, Water Hyacinth is not banned in Wisconsin

Good to know! For when the rest of Illinois gets nutty like Chicago... oh, wait... we're well on our way!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Good to know! For when the rest of Illinois gets nutty like Chicago... oh, wait... we're well on our way!

Plant bans are done for a reason. Important reasons.
Look at the destruction that buckthorn has done, or that butterfly bush is doing (yet surprisingly still available). Certain plants need to be prohibited.

In fact, Water Hyacinth is probably one of the best examples of why invasive plant should be illegal to sell or own. It's been a huge problem down south, not to mention in Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia, etc. It's completely choked out waterways. There's no doubt it doesn't do as well in cooler climates, but stopping it before it's a problem can prevent the destruction that so many other areas are seeing. It's just not worth the risk just so we can have it in our garden ponds.

 

[Faebinder]

Large dense mats of Water Hyacinth can cover lakes and other waterways in warm geographic areas - we're talking acres of plants here, people. This dense barrier impedes water circulation and subsurface photosynthesis. This scenario produces an ideal mosquito breeding habitat. A few plants floating in your backyard pond shouldn't produce a mosquito problem, given sufficient water circulation and a few hungry fish.

The bigger your fish are, the less likely they will go after mosquito larvae.

 

[adavisus]

skeeters can only thrive where they have no competition or predators. While you may see them attracted to foliage on ponds, there's usually going to be lots of beetles, spiders, dragonfly, pond skaters small amphibians awaiting to greet them

In effect if there are skeeters, a pond eats em

 

[Lisak1]

Plant bans are done for a reason. Important reasons.

Agree 100% - I was just picking on our favorite city to the south. I'm a big proponent of native planting.

I would guess that making it illegal to sell anywhere would help keep it from being grown in areas where it can be a big problem.