Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Identifying plants What is this plant and is it bad?

I am in Southern California. I have this plant that grows in water out to 12' deep. It grows on dry land and blooms in the spring thru summer and spreads. It grows with one shoot into the bottom and then branches out on the surface and spreads on the surface. I can pull the root out and the whole surface mat will then float free. It is expanding and covers a lot of my shallow coves and out to deep water. It started growing about three years ago I think when we had a few years of low water. It is continuing to spread especially in the warm months. I do not catch bass in it and don't see a lot of the fish using it as cover. What is it and is there any benefit to keeping it around for fish or not. It has covered a lot of the gravel bed areas that my bluegill used to use to spawn. How should I kill it - manual, chemical or what? I have access to a professional who does aquatic plant harvesting - he didn't know what it was. He can cut it and haul it though for me. When should I remove it - now in the winter - before the spawn?

Here are some photos taken this week -







Here is a picture of it in the background of the catfish with my son in full bloom this last August -



Thanks!

Dave

DaveB, I'm sorry I can't help you with the ID of those plants, but I do have two questions.

1) Theres a post under Questions & Observations about a guy from Southern CA. who wants some info. on building a pond. Could you reply to him, and maybe give him some insight? It's about 3/4 way down on the first page.

2) Is that youngster hugging those catfish?? Don't they have spines?

Thanks.

DaveB, Do some searching on "polygonum species" and in particular knotweed smartweed and see how similar yours is to this. Several control methods for knotweed including 2,4-D (with aquatic label)most 4 lb products are rated at 3/4 ounce per gallon of spray.As always follow the label for rates and timing and restrictions if pursuing a chemical means.Good Luck

DaveB :

Here are some links to id pond/water plants and how to deal with them , the last link has a link to a national data base:

http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/

http://aquanic.org/publicat/state/il-in/ces/lembi.pdf

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/

Dave,
This looks like smartweed. You can treat it by using Glyphosate products approved for ponds. Hand pulling is effective and grass carp will eat the young shoots. Let us know what you end up doing.
Wendy

Dave good to hear from you. I belive this is giant smartweed. I do not think a specfic id is necessary for my rec. is thae same for mos emergent plants like this. You need to mix a 2% soultion of aquatic glphosate (we like touchdown), 1% solution of 2,4-D liquid with aquatic label of course and a good sufactant. This combo when sprayed liberally on exposed leaves when actively growing should work. It will take two aplications I'm sure. If spreading better off doing it now.

Call me if this does not make sense.

I do not think mechanical harvesting is effective means b/c roots will remain for regorwth.

Nice catfish!

Greg:

Thanks for the reply! Ok I will spray. What spray equipment would be best to rent to get the job done as efficiently as possible? As you can see from the photos this stuff is thick in 100 yard by 10 yard stretches in about 5 locations around the lake. I have barge I can use that I can put a generator on if needed and pull it around the smart weed mats while one guy sprays and another acts as the tug boat. Or is a hand sprayer all I need? I have access to this type of equipment through nursery friends of mine. I can also tell them the chemicals I need and then do the mixing. Can you be more specific say on a per water gallon basis as to which chemicals I need and ratio per gallon of water to mix?

Touch Down you say..how do you figure how much per gallon? And then 1% of 2,4-D liquid..brand? and a good sufactant..what is that??

I should spray the plants now and then again in early summer? Will the rest of the submerge stalk then dies and sink to the bottom and decompose? These chemicals will not kill any bass fry or bluegill fry will it?

Thanks again Greg! Cabo fishing for you on my boat one of these days amigo whenever you can get out West to thank you for all the help you give me. What is the relative weight on a 104" fork length by 500 lb. blue marlin? lol.

Dave

I was correcting my typos and saw your reply. What is total acerage your killing? Make sure it is growing well, might wait a few more weeks. Respray after a few weeks and you see some more green coming on.

You nursery guys will know what a surfactant or adjvant is. I suggest if less than 5 acres or so a ATV sprayer, just buy one you will need it again in future. 25 gallon and sprays at a fair rate. Lighter than gasonline powered sprayer.

So in 25 gals of water mix 64 ozs (1/2 gallon) Touchdown and 32 ozs 2,4-D liquid (weedear, etc.) and 8 ozs surfactant. Spray this on plants and see what happens. Good luck!

Should not have any negative effect on fish it is so dilute once it is in the water. Do not treat it after water warms above 80.

Your the man Greg! My nursery guy is on it now. We think this plant might be the same on that came to West coast in 1995 and has played havoc, especially in Washington state. We just started seeing it about three years ago..small amount at first and then - out of control. The plant really does well when the water levels drop and it grows like a weed! At first I thought no big deal...it will make great flipping and frog lure fishing..but no...the fish don't seem to want to use it as cover (maybe too dense). It has hurt us as we now can't fish all the shallow hard wood that used to be great buzz bait, spinner bait and flipping structure. On top of that it has covered up a lot of our prime bluegill spawning gravel areas. I can't wait to get rid of it!

Dave