What is water hyacinth?

1. What is the plant?

It is a floating herb with the scientific name Eichhornia crassipes, which generally grows in rivers, ponds and swamps. The stem is very short, the creeping branches are lighter in color, light green, the fibrous roots are very strong and brown-black in color, the leaves are clustered at the base and arranged in a rosette shape, the leaves are oval in shape, the surface is dark green, and the petioles are of different lengths. The flowers are lavender with blue in the middle, and they usually bloom from July to October. It is native to Brazil and was introduced to my country as an ornamental plant. Later, it was planned to be promoted as feed for pigs. However, because it has no natural enemies and reproduces very quickly, it has now become a nuisance.

2. How to reproduce

It reproduces very quickly, usually by seeds. Pick the fruits, peel off the outer skin, and take out the seeds from inside. In February, soak the seeds in water at 25-30℃ for about 10 days, then you can sow them on the water surface and they will germinate in one to two weeks. It can also propagate through axillary buds. The creeping branches are relatively long and easy to break. They can grow into new independent plants when placed in water.