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Ludwigia hexapetala

Phonetic Spelling
lood-WIG-ee-ah heks-ah-PEH-tah-lah
This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
Description

Creeping water primrose is an invasive aquatic plant in the primrose family native to Central and South America and is found along the margins of lakes, ponds, ditches, and streams. It has invaded waterways from NC south to FL, west to Texas and the Pacific coastal states. There are native Ludwigias that may be confused with this invasive plant. It is currently found throughout North Carolina and is listed as a Class B state noxious weed. 

This plant can form large mats that can grow 3 feet tall to shade out native plants and clog waterways. It has two stages of growth. It produces light green, floating stems early in the season with rosettes of smooth, shiny, rounded leaves. Later the stems become erect, reddish-brown, and produce more lance-shaped pointed leaves arranged alternately along the stems. Mid-summer through frost bright yellow flowers are produced in the leaf axils and produce many seeds. The stems grow up to 10 feet long and freely root at the nodes allowing the plant to spread vegetatively also.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. Class B noxious weed in North Carolina. Do not plant. See alternatives to the left.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#invasive#yellow flowers#high maintenance#fast growing#aggressive#summer flowers#Noxious Weed (state list)#aquatic#weed#sun#waterweed#aquatic weed
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#invasive#yellow flowers#high maintenance#fast growing#aggressive#summer flowers#Noxious Weed (state list)#aquatic#weed#sun#waterweed#aquatic weed
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Ludwigia
    Species:
    hexapetala
    Family:
    Onagraceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Central and South America
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Water Plant
    Weed
    Habit/Form:
    Creeping
    Multi-stemmed
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    High
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
  • Fruit:
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Length:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    The fruit is a pubescent, cylindric capsule up to 1.5 inches long with many seeds maturing in summer and fall
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Solitary
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Long Bloom Season
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Fall
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Cup
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    6 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    Flowers are solitary, 1-2 inches wide, with five to six bright yellow petals. The petioles have hairs. Flowering occurs from mid to late summer until a killing frost
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Rosulate
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Spatulate
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Initially, the leaves are a rosette with roundish to spatulate leaves. Later the leaves become alternate and lance-shaped with pointed tips, are mostly sessile with a few hairs. They can be up to 4.5 inches long and 1 inch wide
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Red/Burgundy
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    Initially stems are green and floating. Upright stems become reddish with hairs.
  • Landscape:
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Wet Soil
    Problems:
    Invasive Species
    Weedy