Spirodela polyrhiza
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Lemna polyrrhiza
- Skpirodela polyrrhiza var. masonii
- Spirodela polyrhiza
- Phonetic Spelling
- spy-roh-DEL-uh pol-ee-RY-za
- Description
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Greater Duckweed is a perennial aquatic plant found in slow-moving or still waters of ponds, bogs, lakes, and swamps all over the world. Nitrogen and other nutrients will be common to these waters. Protection from wind and waves is crucial to the plants survival.
Growing on the water surface, this simple, oval-shaped life form consists of a single, flat thallus, which is a plant that combines the functions of both the leaf and the stem. Each tiny (.35" x .27") thallus is filled with even smaller pockets of air that give it floating capabilities.
The upper side of the thallus is a medium green, while the underside is typically a reddish-purple. A single, red node is located on the upper side. Each node can have 5-12 veins that curve inward. These are not visible to the naked eye.
Although rare to bloom, flowers are produced from 2 pouches on the thallus. One pouch will contain a single female flower with a single pistil, the other will contain 2 male flowers that contain a single stamen. The female flower is replaced by a tiny fruit in the form of a sack which has 1 to 2 seeds. In lieu of flowering, the thallus can produce buds that are attached to the mother plant for a period of time before separating into individual plants.
Its roots are a group of tiny rootlets coming from a node on the underside of the thallus.
Winter and cooler weather cause the thallus to form a starchy off-set called a winter turion. Bud-like in form, and brown to olive green, the turion will detach from the mother plant and sink to the bottom of the water. As spring approaches, it will rise to the surface.
While this plant is a food source for some aquatic mammals such as ducks and turtles, it also provides a habitat for aquatic organisms. Due to its metabolically active cells and little structure fibers, its tissue has two times the protein, fat, nitrogen and phosphorus plants, giving the plant a high nutritional value.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Its rapid growth can cause this plant to spread agressively. It also spreads by mammals such as beavers and muskrats that spread this plant from one wetland to another when the sticky roots attach to their wet fur.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Spirodela
- Species:
- polyrhiza
- Family:
- Araceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Terrariums
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Worldwide
- Wildlife Value:
- Several aquatic mammals feed on this plant. Ducks, turtles, and fish are among these.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Water Plant
- Habit/Form:
- Horizontal
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruits form as a sack and contain 1 to 2 seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spadix
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Blooms (rarely) from June into the fall.
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Leaves:
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- No leaves.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- No stems.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Pond
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Rain Garden
- Water Garden
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Problems:
- Weedy