Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Identifying plants Identifying Chara??

I have a submerged weed in my 3 acre pond in central Grorgia that looks like the photos of muskgrass chara found on the University of Florida Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plant web site. However, it does not have the garlic odor describes on that web site. It grows submerged in 2-4 feet of water.

Any ideas on what this could be would be appreciated.

Frnak, wish I could be more help, but if Chara it would definently smell like garlic. I just showed that trick to a pondowner tonight. Anyway how high does it grow? A picture would be helpful.

Greg,
It looks like the following photo http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/chaspp3.jpg

Its growing at a depth of 24 inches or more. Height is at least 20 inches.

By the way, we gave up on fertilizing what with all the rain. We had over 11 inches in July!.

Thanks for your help.

Like Greg said if it was chara there is no escaping the very strong odour. Perhaps it is coontail or Eurasion water milfoil?

Potsy,
I've looked at the photos on the Florida site and my weed looks exactly like the photo of muskgrass whith the striated "leaves". It does not look like coontail or milfoil.

I think chara smells like a skunk if I remember correctly. Am I wrong? If so then I don't have chara. That is when you crush it between your fingers it smells like a skunk.

Yeah thats what I have read. Or like garlic. My weed LOOKS like the photos bit has no smell. It looks EXACTLY like the muskgrass (chara) photo on the Florida web site mentioned above.

I have the same thing you have Frank. Looks exactly like Chara, nothing else on that site, but no odor that I would consider strong, like garlic when broken up. I wonder if there are different variations of it that don't have such a strong smell. Thats what I'm thinking.

Sometimes with soft water I will find chara without the distinct odor. Otherwise it could be Naid?
Robert B

Like Robert said looks similiar to naiad. Does it break at the joint when you barely pull it? If it is Naiad breaks in a distinct place unlike any other weed I have seen.

It doesn't look like Naid and it doesn't break in a similar distinct way. I'm guessing muskgrass without the strong odor. I'll do my winter drawdown the end of November and eradicate them thar weeds.