Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Identifying plants Illinois Pondweed?

This is in the lake right in front of the pier. This stand has been there for probably the past 6 or 7 years. The herbacide that is applied on the lake hasn't killed it (Reward, Rodeo, Cutrine). It spreads very slowly, it is now a patch that is about 10' square. This is the first time that I've seen it poke up past the surface of the water. It's growing in 4' deep water. For comparison, each "board" on the pier is roughly 6" wide.





Since it grows so slowly, I was thinking of harvesting some of it and moving it to my pond. But before doing that I want to know exactly what it is. I'd have to be very careful in rinsing it off because there is milfoil in the lake and I don't want that in the pond.

Scott - Bill can identify that in a heartbeat I'll reckon. Doesn't look like any pondweed with which I'm familiar - but I know virtually nothing about aquatic vegetation.

I know someone here will know what it is! I like it's slow growth.

I'm gonna go with clasping leaf pond weed.

I second the clasping leaf pond weed or perhaps white stem pond weed. However there's so many hybrids in this plant family, it can be difficult to put a nail on it.

It's in a public BOW of water if that helps any. Definately not put there by a person, and I haven't seen it in any other part of the lake.

Scott - From the pictures and it is hard to get a positive ID of similar looking species from pictures, I think it is probably bigleaf pondweed (Potamogeton amphifolius). If it is bigleaf it should produce a few floating leaves a little later in the year when it flowers. I don't think it is 'white stem' (P. praelongus) nor 'clasping -leaved pondweed'(P richardsonii) because your plant has lower leaves with obvious petioles attaching to the stem. White stem and clasping pondweeds do not have petioles, and the base of the leaves wrap onto the stem. Also Clasping-leaved pondweed grows entirely underwater with no floating leaves. Look closer at the leaf bases of older plants and check for leaf petioles. Another very similar pondweed is Illinois pondweed (P.illinoensis). It has similar wide leaves although with broad flat petioles - floating leaves sometimes absent. Shape of seeds will separate these species. Send me some mature seeds and I can verify the species.

I think all these similar looking plants are what northern anglers call 'cabbage' in lakes. Anyone know more about what "cabbage" in lakes is?

Thanks Bill. This is the first year that any plant in the group has broken the water surface. I'll keep an eye on it for seeds.

Do you want a sample of the plant sent along as well?

prolly water lettuce. but this article describes an actual rooted plant - http://www.brainerdguide.com/guides_northern.htm

A little more about 'cabbage' as described from the link above BrainerdGuide; Northern Tips- Early Summer:
""Cabbage weeds are an important structural element for northern fishing in the Brainerd Lakes area. If there’s a good stand of cabbage weeds present on a lake, it’s a sure bet that there’s a few northern pike close by. A cabbage weed is easily identified by its long slender stalk and broad, flat leaves. The color of healthy cabbage is vivid green. The leaves are spaced every 14 to 16 inches and attached on alternating sides of the plant's stalk. These leaves are very fragile. They tear almost like lettuce, hence the name cabbage. But the stalk is tough. The cabbage weed can reach lengths of sixteen feet in the clean waters of the Brainerd Lakes area. The shape and location of a lake’s cabbage beds can change yearly. Exposure to sunlight has a great deal to do with the plants location. The cabbage plant is very light sensitive. On years when the water levels are down, the extra sunlight entering the water will cause the shallow edges of the cabbage bed to burn. On years when the water levels are up, the reduced sunlight will cause the deeper edges of the cabbage bed to wither. In some extreme cases, the entire cabbage bed may disappear on a given year. Early each summer, I try and take advantage of the first few calm days to learn the new shapes of the cabbage beds. The top of each cabbage weed contains a small seed pod. It’s slender and only 2 to 3 inches long. This is the only part of the entire cabbage plant that sticks out of the water. A good cabbage bed looks like a bunch of little pencils sticking out of the water, one every 2 to 3 feet, on a calm day.""

It sounds to me as this 'cabbage' is some species of broadleaf pond weed (Potamogeton), very likely bigleaf pond weed or similar. Leaf spacing of 14"-16" is probably for plants growing in deeper water (8'-12'deep) where stalks have to 'stretch' for light in deeper water. Shallower growing plants (2'-5') normally will have leaves much closer together and similar to the pictures posted above. Note in clear water it can grow to 16ft deep; deeper depths than many ponds. Of those that I've seen, the stands of weed beds have lots of open spaces for fish to hide and hunt through, thus the good pike fishing during early summer mentioned in the guide series.

Maybe essshup can get some more pictures of the plant in a few weeks when seeds and maybe floating leaves are present.

I'll get more pictures this week. We should be putting the boat in the water this coming weekend, and it's right in the path of where the prop will travel (MasterCraft ski boat - inboard).

The seed pod gives it away too. Those 'pencils' sticking out of the water are a common trait of potamogeton.