Brazilian Elodea

Native:

Canada Waterweed (Elodea canadensis) has 3 smooth leaves in a whorl; each leaf is 1.5 cm long (smaller than Brazilian Elodea leaves).

 

 

 

 

 

Invasive:

Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) has prickly hairs on the underside of its leaves, and the leaves form in a whorl of 3 – 8.

Brazilian Elodea is originally from South America, and was introduced to North America through the aquarium trade as a oxygenator and decorative plant for aquariums.

It is found in freshwater lakes, rivers or other shallow and still/slow moving water. It thrives in water temperatures of 15 – 17°C and tolerates shade.

Brazilian Elodea reproduces primarily vegetatively from stem fragments. It has nodes along the stem that can produce new buds, roots and branches. The plant is dioecious (with male and female plants) and can be pollinated by insects. However, only male plants have been found in North America thus far, so sexual reproduction is not believed to be possible for Brazilian Elodea in Canada.

The plant is imported and sold in aquarium shops and may be improperly disposed of into water bodies. Brazilian Elodea can travel short distances with water currents; the plant parts can also attach to boats and be transported long distances.

Brazilian Elodea is NOT currently found in the Sea to Sky Corridor, so the best approach to controlling its spread is by PREVENTION.

Learn to identify Brazilian Elodea: use the images presented in this profile page to learn how to identify Brazilian Elodea.

What to do if you spot it: You can report any Brazilian Elodea sighting by clicking here.

 

DO:

• Clean, Drain, and Dry all watercraft. Rinse all mud, debris, and plant fragments from all equipment, wading gear, and boats.
• Ensure all plant parts are bagged and covered during transport to the designated disposal site (e.g. landfill).

DO NOT:

• Do not transport Brazilian Elodea from one location to another.
• Do not plant Eurasian Watermilfoil in an aquarium or water garden.
• Do not dispose of aquarium plants into water bodies.
• Do NOT compost Brazilian Elodea!

Control

Mechanical

Cutting, hand pulling and netting can be used on small infestations as a short-term solution, but they are not effective long-term because the plant will quickly re-establish from any remaining fragments and roots.

Chemical

Herbicides cannot be applied in aquatic environments in Canada. Herbicide control is not recommended for this species.

Biological

There are a few case studies of biological control being used on Brazilian Elodea in other countries, but the data is limited. One study in Spain shows that effective growth control could be achieved by letting Peking ducks feed on the plant, but it was not enough to eradicate it