Hydrilla Control – What is Hydrilla and What Are Your Control Options?

Hydrilla is a flora found in freshwater. The Hydrilla will grow to the waters surface from a depth of up to 20 feet. This very standard water flora can be found in all types of water: rivers, lakes, fens, springs and the like. This water plant can prosper in water that is very shallow or up to 20 feet deep. This plant can grow in either oligotrophic (low nutrient) or eutrophic (high nutrient) water.

This fresh water flora will only prosper in temperatures between 20 C and 27 C so it will not be found in harsher climates. Upon reaching the surface, the Hydrillas full branches spread out to form a thick mat. The Hydrilla can have submerged stems that reach up to 25 feet in length. The roots or Rhizomes of the Hydrilla are ofttimes yellow or off-white in color. There are lots of ways a Hydrilla can multiply. Fragmentation, from seeds, from tuber, and turions (auxiliary buds) are ways how this pest reproduces.

When equated with other floras the Hydrilla has several advantages. The Hydrilla only needs 1% sunlight to grow. Hydrillas absorb a great deal of nutrients from the water leaving little for the native floras. Hydrillas can grow very speedily, competing with the native species, and that’s why it is considered a noxious pest. Hydrilla is especially dangerous because it can almost entirely take over a body of water before appearing on the surface. When it covers a big area, all the marine floras that fall under it die due to the lack of sunlight or nutrition. When Hydrilla encompasses a large area, all the other marine plants fail because the do not receive enough sunlight or foods.

Every year, millions of dollars worth of weed killers and mechanical harvesters are used to keep this offensive pest under proper control, so that it doesn’t cross the limit. Hydrilla harms the vegetation in the surrounding area making it near impossible for fishermen to fish. Slowed water flow and blocked up irrigation or flood control canals are as a result of Hydrilla over growth. Swimming, boating and fishing can not be properly done in areas when Hydrilla has taken hold. Mass amounts of Hydrilla can severely lower the oxygen levels of the water it is growing in.

The Elodea and Egeria are oftentimes mixed up with the Hydrilla. Hydrillas have one or more teeth on the bottom of the midrib. Elodea and Egeria do not have teeth present on their undersides. Neither Elodea nor Egeria has teeth on their underside. Due to these teeth, we feel the harshness of these floras when we rub over from its base to the tip. The blossoms the Egeria create are also bigger than the Hydrilla. 

Hydrilla is consumed by macro and micro invertebrates. Species like ducks, fish, amphibians and reptiles will consume the rotted remains of the micro and macro organisms that fed on the Hydrilla. Bacteria and fungi disintegrate Hydrillas that die naturally and then create a food called junk, which many marine creatures eat. Many ducks consume Hydrilla turions and tubers, but it is not believed a fine wildlife feed.