Unlike Mr. Potato Head, these plants are not your friend. These weeds/vines interfere with the natural growth of an area by taking over and displacing native plants. In 1993 this plant made the most invasive list by Florida’s Exotic Pest Plant Council. It is also on the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services list which means that it may not be planted, possessed or moved without a permit. These vines are:

• Fast growing and twine and twirl themselves up trees.
• They can grow as much as 8 inches per day. Over time the vines can grow up to 70 feet long.
• The plant has heart-shaped blade type leaves that can get up to 8 inches long.
• Aerial tubers(potatoes) free form in the leaf axils every few inches.

Potato/ tubers are smooth and can grow to 5 inches by 4 inches. When the potatoes get too heavy for the size of the vine, they drop to the ground where they take root. A new vine will soon sprout. A single vine can produce hundreds of potatoes.

We are very familiar with this weed and can help rid your area of these bothersome vines.

Algae is year round in Florida and blooms during the warmer months. When the water begins to heat up the warm sunlight acts as an accelerant for algae growth.

• Algae are primitive plants that are common throughout Florida’s waterways and can range in color from gold to black. It converts the sun’s energy into a foam that spreads quickly.
• Algae, commonly known as “pond scum”, is formed with fine green threads that make floating mats. They often form along the shoreline and grow to the center. They can be moved around on the water’s surface by wind. They can attach to submerged trees, plants and even boat docks.
• From the time a waterway is made it begins to gather good and bad nutrients. The nutrients get into the water via street drainage, yard debris and grass clippings blown into the water. Also, run off from fertilized yards add additional nutrients that accelerate the growth of algae and other aquatic vegetation. In order to reduce the amount of nutrients in the water we suggest:

   - Make sure grass clippings are not blown into the water.

   - Do not fertilize within 10 feet of the shoreline.

Even though algae is a necessary part of Florida, too much is not a good thing. We at Aquatic Weed Control, Inc. can help keep it under control with the right program. Installing native plants can be a very important controlling agent since they compete with algae for nutrients and sunlight. Plants also help to oxygenate the water, provide food and protection for fish and water fowl.

Alligator Weed is a non-native, immersed aquatic plant that came to the U.S. in 1940 and many other countries consider it an invasive plant, too. It is a sprawling plant that often forms dense mats. It is found from Virginia to Florida.

• Grows on the shoreline but usually found in the water.
• Forms large interwoven mats over the water and along shorelines.
• Has whitish, papery ball-shaped flowers in hot months.
• Is a favorable habit for breeding mosquitoes.
• Can reduce bird and fish activity and cause death of fish and native plants.
• When it invades a waterway, it can reduce water flow and quality by preventing light penetration and oxygenation of the water.

This is a large floating aquatic perennial herb. As pretty as they are when they are flowering, they can quickly take over a waterway and clog the entire area. They are considered an invasive plant.

• Spread through rhizomes which send up new stiff stalks.
• Round, green leaves are attached to the center of a stalk and can be 15 to 36 inches across.
• Leaves usually float on top of the water or just slightly above it.
• Large, beautiful yellow flowers appear from spring to fall. Each flower is about 4–6 inches wide with more than 20 petals.
• The fruit resembles a shower head with seeds in each circular opening. Each seed will harden and be about 1/2 inch across and is food for a variety of wildlife.
• Provides shelter for fish and invertebrates.

This soft, wispy pine tree is from southern Asia and Australia. They may be attractive but they are a threat to Florida for a variety of reasons. They are listed as a category 1 invasive plant which makes it against the law to collect, possess, transport, cultivate or import the trees. They cause a lot of damage during hurricanes because their wood is brittle and breaks easily. High winds can uproot the trees because of their shallow roots systems.

• Produce both female and male flowers.
• Needles are really leafy twigs that blanket the area when they fall.
• Can grow 5–10 feet per year and up to 100 feet tall.
• Spread rapidly and close together and can take over the natural vegetation along waterways, beaches and dunes.
• Their roots produce nitrogen which allows them to thrive in the poorest soil.
• Their dense growth doesn’t allow sunlight to get to the soil where native plants would grow and provide food for wildlife.
• Chemicals in their leaves also inhibit the growth of any native plants under them.
• Turtles and other wildlife have lost nesting areas due to the trees taking over sandy nesting areas just out of the reach of high tide.
• Inland they have displaced rabbits and other wildlife that depend on native plants for food and shelter.
• They are highly flammable.

We have the training and experience to remove these trees.

This petite leaved plant can be found in slow moving, shallow waterways.  You will usually find this plant submersed and the leaves are tiny while the plant is submersed. However, if it is growing on damp soil the leaves will be larger.

• Can tolerate shade to full sun.
• The submersed, thin leaves are 1/4 inch, circular and sprout on opposite sides of the stems.
• Stems are 6–8 inches long and form small round mats.
• Fish and invertebrates hide in these mats.
• The plant does produce small whitish flowers that are rarely seen.
• Very small brown seeds are ribbed.
• Grows mainly in central and south Florida’s waterways.

Baby-tears can be confused with hydrilla but this plant doesn’t usually form mats in large areas so it doesn’t hinder boat traffic.

This plant starts out as a weed that can quickly grow into a shrub and extend itself into a tree. It is one of Florida’s most invasive plants. It is even on the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection list which means under no circumstances will this species be permitted for possession, collection, transportation or cultivation.

They grow into a thick forest that produces such a bad habitat for wildlife that nothing can grow or live near them. Over 700,000 acres in Florida are covered by this plant/tree.

• Growth from 15 inches to 33 feet tall.
• Grows quickly and chokes out other plants.
• Like full sun and any soil type.
• Leaves 5–7" long and smell like turpentine when crushed.
• They have tiny white flowers in October.
• Produce red/pink berries in December and January.

People that have sensitive skin can develop severe skin problems if they touch the sap. People can also have respiratory problems when the weed is in bloom.

You might know this plant by another name, Florida Holly. However it is not from Florida and is not a holly. They come from the poison ivy and oak family. The berries are eaten by birds which help scatter seeds everywhere. We have the training and experience to remove these trees.

This upright weed / shrub grows in moist tropical locations from Guam to Louisiana and Florida to the U.S. Virgin Islands. They invade eroded areas, open pastures and perennial crops.

It spreads through the seeds. They are scattered in the wind, dropped by birds and attach themselves to clothing where they drop off in other areas. Seeds usually germinate in clusters. When a few seeds send up a stalk they branch out and upward and can reach 10 feet tall.

• The plant is supported by a tap and lateral root system that is sturdy but flexible.
• Can quickly grow to 7 feet in the first year.
• Smooth brown bark that is green on the inside.
• Single pink flowers year round.
• Fruit produced all year.

These trees grow naturally in Japan and China where they are used for timber and oils. So, growers brought the trees to Florida but it was not a profitable business.

This tree is a Category 1 on the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council list because it grows fast and quickly crowds out native trees and invades natural areas like our forests.

• The smell of camphor is released when the leaves are crushed or the bark is scratched.
• Prefers fertile, dry sandy soil.
• This evergreen tree can grow to over 40 feet tall.
• Fragrant flowers are green/white to faint yellow.
• A lot of dark blue fruit appears in spring and winter and turns the ground red at first, then to black.
• Seeds are eaten and spread by birds.

Cattails are a familiar sight in Florida’s waterways. People are familiar with their long green leaves and hot dog shaped brown flower spikes. They are a native plant but they are also an undesirable plant because of their invasive qualities.

• Landscapers and Developers will often plant these attractive plants along the shoreline to the enhance the beauty of a new waterway. But in no time, these plants spread and can quickly form a ring around the pond. This blocks views and becomes unsightly.
• In the fall the brown heads pop open to reveal fluffy seeds. These seeds provide food and are used to line nests for habitat.
• Seeds are released in the fall and are spread by the wind, birds or float to other waterways.
• They can grow to 9 feet tall and crowd out other vegetation.
• Cattails have roots that creep and grow new shoots quickly.
• They will catch unwanted nutrients that flow into a waterway, but this only feeds more invasive growth.
• They will crowd out beneficial plants nearby in a matter of weeks.

Customers contract us to remove these plants often because they have taken over their shoreline area or the entire pond.

These trees were brought to the U.S. from Asia in the 1700’s. When the trees came to the U.S. it’s natural enemies were left behind that kept the tree under control. Without checks and balances these trees quickly take over an area and choke out native plants.

There are many things about a Chinaberry tree that allow it to grow like a weed. It grows well in many environments, is nearly disease and insect free and thrives in disturbed or open areas.

• They are a member of the Mahogany family with reddish, purplish bark.
• Most grow to 30 feet tall but some have reached 50 feet.
• Leaf clusters have serrated edges and are about 1-3 inches long.
• Fragrant flowers appear in spring.
• Yellow/green round drupes form after flowering and can hang on the tree until fall when they drop to the ground.
• The fruits are sticky with hard, round seeds. These seeds can remain dormant in the soil for months and years.
• Birds spread the seeds that are poisonous to humans and mammals. Even the birds may become paralyzed if they eat the seeds.
• Vegetative reproduction can also happen when the tree is cut. They produce suckers and form thick areas of vegetation.

We usually cut a perimeter line around the tree and treat the ground with herbicides. This will kill the tree but follow up treatments are necessary to keep the seeds from sprouting.

You may know it by its other name, Popcorn tree, because the seeds look like popcorn. This invasive exotic tree came over from Asia in the 1700s. For years it was used as a landscape tree because of its ornamental values, flowers and attractive fall colors. But over the years, it was proven to spread rapidly and choke out other native trees and plants. It is on Florida’s invasive plant list and residents are encouraged to remove them. That is a service that we offer our customers.

• Small to medium tree, growing up to 30 feet tall with milky sap and a strong taproot.
• Bees and other insects are attracted to the small yellow flowers.
• The fruit is a 1/2 inch capsule April through November.
• The leaves and fruit are toxic to cattle and cause nausea and vomiting in humans.
• The seeds are covered with a milky coating. A mature tree can produce 100,000 seeds. Those not eaten by birds can lay dormant for decades. The seeds are spread by flying birds and moving waterways.

This invasive grass is a problem in 73 countries and on the “Top 10 Worst Weeds in the World” list. It is so invasive that it has impacted wildlife habitat, native plants, pine tree productivity, site management and it is a fire hazard.

• Invests anywhere grass can grow; pastures, along waterways, ditches, parks, golf courses and forests.
• Likes any soil from moist to dry.
• A perennial grass growing 2-5 feet tall with leaves that are 1/2 to 3/4 inches wide that are attached at the center along a rhizome.
• New leaves are green, but turn more orange-brown with age. If they are in an area that gets a winter frost, they will turn all brown.
• Long, fluffy white seed heads appear in spring. They are very small and are attached to a plume of long white hairs the bloom March through June. The wind and birds help spread the seeds.
• Seeds sprout easily on disturbed soil where trees were harvested or the dirt moved in preparation for a project. Once they take root, they form dense colonies of grass and the process starts again.
• They grow thicker by means by more seeds or rhizomes that grow along the land surface and up to 4 feet deep.
• Oils in the blades of grass make it flammable, even more so during the dry months when the blades are dry and brown.

A native of North America, the Dogfennel is an aggressive perennial herbaceous annual plant. It is a very common plant in Florida and often seen in pastures and along road easements.

• The plant can grow in most any dry to moist soil which allows it to spread aggressively. It will actually drown in standing water.
• Semi-woody plant that can grow up to more than 7 feet.
• Long straight stems that are densely clustered.
• Small green leaves are fine and thread-like from base to tip of each stem.
• Leaves emit an unpleasant odor when crushed.
• Some allergic reactions have been reported after contact and/or from the pollen.
• You will see small white flowers in solitary heads at the end of stems summer through fall.
• The plant spreads by means of seeds blowing to other locations and by root growth extensions.

These small floating plants are native to Florida. The small variety is usually seen in Central Florida.

Duckweed characteristics:

• Can be found in ponds, canals, ditches, marshes and in protected areas of larger rivers and lakes.
• Small leaf-like stems are called fronds.
• Fronds are usually 1/16 by 1/16 of an inch and grow together to form mats.
• In areas where there are several mats, winds will push the mats to one side of the waterway where they become one large mat. Within a few months the entire waterway will become covered. Mats can be up to 1 inch thick.
• Heavy growth can harm the natural aquatic system by lowering the levels of natural sunlight and oxygen.
• They do flower but the flowers are seldom ever seen. They reproduce by budding and by seeds. The seeds are carried from pond to pond by birds, ducks, frogs and alligators.

The Earpod tree is the National Tree of Costa Rica. It is a native of Central America where it provides shade. A mature tree’s canape can spread out to 90 feet and have a tree trunk 2 feet in diameter.

• Bark is light gray with vertical fissures. As the tree ages the bark develops chips or scarred areas.
• The spacious crown of the tree is wide and open.
• Prefers open sunny areas where the limbs spread out starting low on the tree base. In areas where the trees are crowded they tend to grow more upright.
• Prefers moist soil.
• The leaves appear near the end of each limb. Many leaflets grow along slender twigs and are then attached together to form a cluster.
• The leaves fall in the winter and by February they are ready to sprout again for spring.
• Many fluffy, white flowers appear in the spring with spherical white heads.  At the peak of flowering you can smell the fragrant flowers all around the area.
• In winter, small green pods appear and become mature by March. The glossy brown, narrow, flat pods contain up to 20 seeds that fall to the ground in March or April. When you shake a pod, you will hear the seeds inside. When the hard pod breaks open the seeds will start to germinate and by June new sprouts will appear. If the pods are not opened the seeds can lay dormant for a long time.
• The pods are usually ignored by animals.

• Hydrilla was introduced to Florida’s waterways in the 1950 from Asia. It is an exotic, submersed plant that is found in waterways all over the state. Hydrilla is an invasive plant that has become an invisible menace to navigate through. It gets caught in propellers and transported from pond to pond where it continues to grow.

• In the 1970’s it was added to the Federal Noxious Weed list and it is not to be sold or shipped in many states, including Florida. Despite these efforts it continues to start colonies from the smallest piece of the plant. It is a rooted, submersed perennial plant that can have multiple branches growing up to an inch a day and getting to 25 feet long. If the water is clear it can be found in depths of 35 feet but is more commonly found in 6 to 15 feet of water. Under the water the plants are dense and as it reaches the surface it forms dense mats.
• In June and July it produces tiny flowers but these do not produce seeds. It reproduces by two types of vegetative preproduction; turions and tubers, which usually occurs during the winter. Tubers grow under sediment and send up new shoots. Hydrilla in shallow waterways can produce over 200 tubers per square foot.
• Hydrilla is often unnoticed until it “tops out” or reaches the surface. By then it is well established and can start to impact recreational activities like boating and swimming. Left unchecked it can diminish property values and increase public concerns like mosquito control.
• Over $15 million dollars is spent each year in Florida trying to get rid of this invasive plant.

There are 2 common varieties of this species that look and act very similar to each other, the Japanese and the Old World Climbing Fern.

The Japanese variety came to Florida in the 1930’s as an ornamental plant. While the Old World variety was found in Florida in the 1960’s. Together they cover over 50,000 acres and they do not die back in the winter which allows for a lot of growth.

• The Japanese climbing fern likes sun or shade, damp, disturbed or undisturbed areas.
• It can grow a dense living wall of foliage that chokes our other native vegetation.
• The old world variety thrives in cypress swamps and other hydrated sites.
• It will infest and displace native flora and completely change the ecosystem in the area.
• Both species contain very small spores that can travel great distances and impact other areas in late summer and early fall.
• Spores are transported by the wind, flowing waters and by attaching to clothing and vehicles.

Different varieties of Lantana have been bred over the years and the plant now stretches around the world. The plants you buy at the nursery are used to enhance landscaping but steps should be taken to break off the spent flowers before they turn into seeds and spread.

The non-native Lantana looks just like the native variety except the leaves have a truncated leaf base and a multicolored flower.

• They like shade to sun and dry to moist soil which allows them to invade just about any location. However, these plants are toxic to cattle and other grazing animals.
• The invasive variety can reach over 6 feet tall with leaves that are 6 inches long and 2-1/2 inches wide. The leaf edges are serrated and feel like fine sandpaper.
• Small, multicolor flowers appear at the branch tips year round.
• After flowering, tiny round fruit appear. They start out green, then turn purple and end up black. A single plant can produce 12,000 pieces of fruits.
• Birds and other animals eat the fruit and drop seeds in flight. New plants can also propogate from damaged or broken roots.

This tree is native to Australia where it is valued and the subject of conservation efforts.  However, in Florida it is considered an exotic and a big time pest.  The trees are mainly located in central and south Florida where a lot of money is spent each year to take them out.

• It produces large amounts of seeds which become large forests that nearly eliminate all other vegetation.
• They grow on land and in water.
• They top out at 80 feet and consume a lot of water.
• You can recognize them by their whitish, spongy, peeling bark, 5 inch leaves and white bottlebrush-like flowers May through December.
• The fruit is a woody capsule that contains a lot of seeds.
• They also reproduce through sprouting from the roots at the base of the tree.

We have an experienced team that will give you options for removing them.

This native, woody shrub is a showy member of the evening primrose family of plants. It is considered a nuisance plant. They grow in central Florida and a little to the south. When it grows in north Florida, it can be killed back in the colder months.

• Likes shallow, wet areas along canals, ditches, banks and wetlands.
• Lower parts of the plant are woody and the top branches are herbaceous and fuzzy.
• Green leaves are 2–6 inches long and about 1-1/4 inches wide. The leaves have light brown hairs on both sides of the leaves.
• The large, bright yellow flowers are made up of four heart-shapes petals. They bloom year round in warmer areas and spring thru fall in northern areas of Florida.
• Butterflies enjoy the nectar of the flowers which makes this plant popular in butterfly gardens.
• The fruit is an odd four-angled capsule that will contain a lot of brown seeds.
• They are a nuisance plant because they make so many seeds that spread and root quickly.

This exotic plant came from Africa or Central America. It can be found mainly growing in the central parts of Florida. They form dense mats that choke out natural plants and impair waterway activities in fresh water and swamp areas. This plant is on the Federal Noxious Weed list because of the invasive growth.

• Floating leaves get up to 1-1/2 inches and vary in color from brown to green to gold. The pictures here are of young plants with small leaves.
• Leaves have rows of arching fine hairs.
• As they grow, they form clumps of leaves that twine together forming mats.
• The mats thicken and impair the oxygen and light levels in a waterway that fish and other creatures rely upon causing death.
• Mats can completely cover a waterway and as they continue to grow they become multi-layered.
• It reproduces by spores and broken off pieces of stems or attached nodes.

This is an undesirable, perennial, submersed plant that forms dense mats that cover the water. The mats get tangled in everything that tries to go through it from fish to boat propellers.

• Grows in waters up to 6 feet deep.
• They are a tangle of long thin branches.
• Each spikelet contains 5 to 10 tiny flowers.

Each new submersed stem can produce a new spikelet and another new plant grows from it.

This plant is a native of Argentina and Brazil. An estimated one million acres of pasture, sod farms, ditches and natural areas are covered with this plant in Florida. In 1994 it was added to the Florida Noxious Weed List and the Federal Noxious list in 1995.  The invasive nature of this plant comes from the ability to produce up to 50,000 seeds per plant with nearly 75% of these seeds taking root.

• This plant comes from the family of plants like potatoes, eggplant and tomatoes.
• It is a perennial plant growing up the 6 feet tall.
• Bright green leaves have several pointed lobes.
• White to yellow thorns that are less than 1/2 inch long appear on the stems, stalks and both sides of the leaves.
• Flowers with yellow stamens grow on the stem below the leaves.
• Yellow fruit is produced year round but mainly from September through May.
• The fruit is eaten by wildlife like, deer, raccoons, hogs, etc. and some of the seeds get on the animals and are spread to other areas to germinate.

Torpedo grass is one of the world’s worst weeds and occurs in 70% of Florida’s public waters. It is native to Africa and came to the U.S. in 1876 as a way to feed cattle, but was later discovered to be low in nutritional value.

• It grows in sandy to waterlogged soils.
• Is drought resistant, thrives in full sun and can grow up to 3 feet tall with stiff blades that have a whitish, waxy coating.
• Often confused with maidencane but torpedo grass has narrow leaves that often have a hint of purple coloring.
• Can withstand floods and hurricanes.
• Herbicide effectiveness increases as it penetrates through the young shoots.

Our teams are always on the watch to rid our customers of this plant.

This woody vine grows quickly and can take over an area or a plant, so much so, that you might not be able to tell what is underneath the growth.

• Woody vines can climb to heights of 90 feet.

• It uses tendrils or adhesive disks that stick to the object and help it to climb. It can completely cover plants, trees, fences and walls. If you were to pull the vine off a wall it would leave behind white short threads.
• You can recognize this plant by its leaf spread of 5 individual oblong leaves, 2 inches by 5 inches.
• It is often confused with Poison Ivy that has 3 similar leaves.
• Tiny berries are covered with a white waxy coating and are black to dark blue when ripened. Fruit appears in October through December.
• Anything from birds to deer to squirrels eat the berries.

This floating beauty was introduced to Florida in 1890. The plant was originally from Brazil and prized for its floating green foliage and beautiful purple flowers. When introduced to Florida’s waterways, it quickly became an invader of native plants and waterways. In the last 70 years it has grown to cover over 120,000 acres of surface water.

• Hyacinth can live in any state where the freezes are moderate. But it does require temperatures of over 50º F to reproduce.
• This plant is so invasive that it has made the list of plants that are not to be sold or shipped anywhere in Florida.
• It spreads by seedlings that are attached to the main plant by a floating runner. These can get caught in boat propellers, trailers and other watercraft and transported to other waterways.
• The leaves are dark green, rounded heart-like shape, thick, shiny and waterproof and can grow to 3 feet long. They are attached at the base or leaf stalk.  Several leaves are attached to form a rosette that are free-floating.
• The feathery dark roots hang under the rosette.

This plant is mostly prized for the spear of lavender flowers. Flowers are groups of 6–14. Each flower can reach to 3 feet tall and have 6 blue/purple petals with a yellow decorative spot. Each flower only lasts a day or two but since there are so many, a few will open each day. After the flowers are fertilized, they bend over and touch the water were the seeds are released and fall to the bottom. They will lie dormant until the water levels subside and expose sediments. New plants can be produced in 5 days and double in size within 2 weeks.

As these invasive plants grow they can quickly take over a waterway. One acre of hyacinth is made up of over 435,000 plants which removed would weigh about 200 tons. That breaks down to 10 pounds per square foot of coverage. These floating masses can quickly become their own island and become homes to other plants and even trees. These masses can restrict all boating traffic, commercial and recreational alike. They also crowd out native plants that are homes and food for birds and animals.

Hand removal or mechanical harvesting is designed to remove the plants and prevent them from spreading. The plants are then removed and disposed of properly. Follow up with hand removal and herbicides treatments will keep this invader in check.

It is unsure if the plant is a native or came from early settlers. We do know that it has been in Florida since 1765 because there are early drawings of the plant in Lake George.

The plant looks like a head of lettuce floating on the water, so it is easy to identify. These heads link together and form dense mats that float over the water’s surface.

• It is a perennial plant that does not do well when the temperature drops below 59º F. However, it can really take off when the temperatures are over 90º F.
• Thick, light green leaves form rosette heads and have fine hairs and are ridged.
• Roots are light in color and feathery. Several roots hang under water from the plant. Mother and daughter plants are linked by short rootlike extensions.
• Only in recent years have small flowers been seen hiding in the center of the plant.
• They can move from one waterway to another as water drains from one area to another. It can also attach itself to boats, motors and trailers and be carried to the next waterway.
• The plants degrade water quality by blocking sunlight and reducing oxygen levels basically eliminating the ability of fish to live in these waters.