Aquatic plants which are not native to your region and can easily spread from your own pond to natural ponds are thought to be invasive pond plants. Such plants could be transported by birds and other wildlife from the pond to natural ponds and have a tendency to grow rapidly. This rapid development of invasive pond plants lowers the total amount of pure sunlight a waterway gets and prevents the development of native aquatic plants. For example in California, water hyacinth is now a severe threat to many waterways. Allowing these plants to propagate into natural waterways may even be prohibited, making it vital that you identify and contain invasive plants in your pond.

Notice the development of the plants in your pond; should you always have to pull a particular aquatic plant to contain its increase, it may be a non-native invasive plant.

Collect a sample of this overgrowing pond plant and place it into a plastic bag.

Pick a reference guide to invasive pond species, such as the USDA’s Aquatic Species page for identification.

Compare the photographs and identifying information of each aquatic plant on the list to your sample.

Take your plant sample into your local pond retailer for a positive identification in case you cannot identify the plant yourself. Your plant may not be considered invasive or may be a less common invasive plant than those recorded in your references.

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