I have a bright green oval shaped leaf vegetation with a long stem. The root system looks like hair and just above the roots there is a "styrofoam" type of sheath around the stem. The stems don't typically branch. What is it and what can I do about it?

Sounds like waterhyacinth. Does it produce a purple flower during the summer? That trait would confirm the guess. If so, and if you didn't introduce it to the pond yourself, someone else did it for you (it is an exotic specie).

If it is water hyacinth, how do you get rid of it?

Before going there, lets make sure of the plant's ID. Can you email me a picture? If not, I can give you the name of a fellow in Brenham (I was just there today) who can probably ID the plant for you. KD kduffie@estesinc.com

Thanks, I'll get back online once I've gotten with KD.

BTW, a good friend called me yesterday to tell me he's worked with you before and you know your stuff. Good report.

Robert: it could also be frog's-bit, but waterhyacinth is more likely.
http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/lisppic.html

'with a long stem' could indicate it is pickerel weed, pontedeira, a fairly attractive aquatic plant, is it free floating, or rooted into the pond....

Regards, andy

Is the plant growing with roots in the mud or is the plant floating on the surface with roots hanging in the water?

Ok, looking at the Pond Boss aquatic plant flip chart, it is not water hyacinth.

It doesn't appear to be rooted to the bottom, but the roots are at least laying on the bottom. The most distinctive feature so far is the white sheath over the long stem. When it comes apart it really does look like little balls of styrofoam.

Thanks for the thoughts,
Robert

The plant in question sounds alot like a species of water arrum, except for the part about being a problem. I haven't seen it very thick before.
Robert

it sounds like the spathe of an arum, you might try searching for: bog arum (calla palustris) arrow arum (peltandra virginica) in a search engine like google to see if you are narrowing it down to an arum species. Very nice aquatic plants, those...

Regards, Andy

See> http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/peltpic.html

Good call Robert B. and Andy. One of those could well be the suspect, but I've never encountered either as a problematic plant. If this is rmoorman's plant, I know some folks who probably like to liberate some to their own ponds. Any known problems with doing so?

I'll keep searching, and if it is you are certainly welcome to some of it. We had none last year and too quite abit of it this year, only in the shallow areas though. Robert

Sorry to report that both bog arum and arrow arum have arrow shaped leaves. My plant has a half dollar size oval shaped leaf. Robert

I suspect we're all jumping to conclusions based on non-descript clues. A picture is worth a thousand words (seems like I've heard that somewhere before). If so, then an actual sample is worth 10K words. KD

Please tell me where I can send a sample. Robert

Email me at kduffie@estesinc.com and I'll reply with a physical mailing address. ~Kelly Duffie

Thanks to everyone for trying so hard. Bob Lusk got it for me, its water primrose, the yellow flower gave it away.

Thanks to all.

From your initial description you said there is a "styrofoam" sheath coating the stem. Could you have possibly meant a gelatinous sheath? Water Shield ( Brasenia schreberi ) is a plant that has an ovoid green leaf floating on the surface with the stem and roots under the waters surface. Both the underside of the leaf and the stem are coated with a gelatinous sheath. Also the underside of the leaf is usually varying shades of greenish purple. During the summer, a small, slender, deep red stem and flower emerge about 2 inches above the surface of the water. Does this sound familiar? A picture would easily rule this one out if not. Hope this helps.