Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Identifying plants What is this...

Can anyone tell me what this submerged plant/weed is?












Thanks
Philip

Welcome to the forum Philip, great job posting pics too. I'm not an expert, but someone who is will come along shortly and identify it for you. If I were to guess, I would guess either Chara or a Common Naiad. When you crush it does it have a musky odor? That would tell you if it is Chara. Our water is hard up here in Michigan and our Chara always is a little calcified on the outside, gritty in texture, yours probably would not be like that.

Welcome to the forum Phillip... 2catmom hit it on the head! It is chara. Don't be a stranger! Check around, there is lots to learn here!

2catmom:

I think you got it (chara), but I want to see what the experts here have to say. The chara gets gritty/calcified with age, the young plants aren't like that. I believe that's one of the reasons that early control of it is important. Did anyone at the Conference show you how to post pics?

Hey Esshup:
They showed GF LakeChair, I had nothing but trouble with photos. My camera wouldn't work right the day before we left, Ken Grand tried to reset it, deleted all my photos on the card. I bought a 35mm cheapo, took 27 photos at the conference, then last night had them developed, and they ruined it processing it. It is really frustrating. Will work on it this winter. I'm really tired.

I can't smell any odor. Does that mean it's not Chara? Is this stuff bad. Should I try to remove it?

Sometimes it doesn't smell... I think Chara in moderation is good, but again it all depends on what your goals are for your pond.

Looks like Chara. Is it crunchy to touch. If so it is Chara. Chara is a multicellular algae that grows in warm water. I generally start seeing it around mid July and it continues until October. Again not a bad plant at all. A lot depends on your situation, how much coverage you have, location of plant etc. If this is on;y plant in pond I would leave it, if not it all depends on what other plants are there as well as how much.

The Midwest Aquatic Plant Mgmt. Society plant ID Chart states about Chara: (if it is Chara)
Typically found growing in clear, hard water. Lacking true stems and leaves, Chara is actually a form of algae. It's stems are hollow with leaf-life structures in a whorled pattern. It may be found growing with tiny orange fruiting bodies on the branches called akinetes. Thick masses of Chara can form in some areas. Often confused with Coontail or Milfoils, it can be identified by a gritty texture and musky odor when crushed between the fingers. The gritty texture is caused by calcium deposits on the surface of the stems and branches.
Here in our lakes we consider it desirable and easy to control. We are told that it is a plant that cleans and filters the water. All of ours in my lake was killed off about 3-4 years ago by a bad treatment company using too much copper sulfate. We are hoping to get it going again. In some of the other lakes it grows to nuisance levels and our good guys Boys of Summer knock it down, but don't kill it off. I will say here it is a darker green color and has an odor when crushed.

Also known aroun hyar as skunkweed.
The TPWD Biologist told me that grass carp wouldn't eat it. But they did in a 3/4 acre pond that was absolutely covered with it.

Just another example of how no two people in this water/fish world agree on anything isn't it? It drives me nuts.

Are you referring to the grass carp?

2cat, I am amazed at the quality of answer you gave above. And that is intended as a compliment not a slight. Speaking with you at the conference and reviewing your story board and data what really struck me is how much you know about lake management.

As far as the grass carp the answer should have been "it depends." I doubt that a fish would starve themselves if there was anything else they could eat, so my thinking is that if chara was the only plant available then they'd eat it. But don't listen to me, I don't know squat about either chara or grass carp.

I liked meeting you too JHAP, thanks for looking at the data, I've been on this since 2004, I really do love it too.
Yes, not just the grass carp, but conflicting opinions on just about everything. GF Lakechair and I made Chara bombs last summer, but I don't think it worked. If we do fish kill 2, and get back some of that clarity we had this season we can get beneficial submerged aquatic vegetation going again. Bill Cody gave me the name of a cool plant to try and get next year, he said the roots shoot out oxygen at the bottom through them. He would know wouldn't he? He is the best.

One thing is certain - Bill knows what he is talking about. He will be the very first one to tell you he does not know if that is the case. On many things he will tell you it all depends and he is right.