Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District
Water Lettuce (Water Cabbage)
Pistia stratiotes
Family
Araceae
Blooms July -
August
The non-native (African) Water Lettuce is uncommon in our area. It is very aggressive invasive aquatic that is illegal in some states. It can form thick floating mats clogging a waterway or covering the entire surface of a pond causing oxygen depletion and fish kills. It is free-floating with roots hanging submersed beneath the floating leaves, except when stranded in the mud. It has many spongy, dusty green simple leaves arranged in a spiral pattern from the center of the plant overlapping each other, like a lettuce, without petioles. The 1 - 6" wide leaves are covered with very fine hairs and have large veins running their length. The small white to greenish-white flowers are usually hidden down between the leaves and are seldom seen.
Water Lettuce (and Common Duckweed) in Rose Hill Subdivision pond September 6, 2012
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