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Common Name: Hydrilla

General Information

Hydrilla verticillata is a Annual/Perennial
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials..

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

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Range

A cosmopolitan plant, it is hard to know the areas where it is truly native[]..

Habitat

Grows in a variety of aquatic habitats, from acidic to basic, oligotrophic to eutrophic, fresh to brackish, and from a few centimeters deep to a meter or more if light penetrates that deeply[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual/Perennial
Height	0.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Water
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A submerged water plant, it prefers growing in alkaline water[].
A good oxygenator for ponds, the plant forms a large mass with stems up to 2 metres long[, ].
This is a very vigorous species which can regrow from even small sections of the plant. Stem fragments become rooted by fine, unbranched adventitious roots and soon produce vegetative reproductive structures from both subterranean and erect stems[]. Tubers produced on subterranean stems are pale brown; those produced on erect stems are dark olive-green and covered with short, stiff scales. Both types germinate quickly to produce new stems[]. This species has often invaded native habitats, clogging waterways and crowding out native species of flora and fauna[]. It is considered a noxious weed in many areas[].
Plants can be monoecious or dioecious. Dioecious plants (usually female) are triploid forms whilst monoecious plants are diploid[]. Male flowers are released from the plant under water. They float to the surface where they release their pollen to fertilize female flowers[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Used in the treatment of abscesses, boils and wounds, especially if there is debris in the wound[]. A dried powder of the plant is applied to cuts and wounds to help accelerate healing[].

Other Uses

The plant is used in sugar refinery[]. No more details are given.

Propagation

Seed - it is quite likely that seed must be kept moist in order to maintain viability. If seed can be obtained, it is probably best sown immediately in a greenhouse in soil covered with water.
Tubers - plant immediately in soil covered in water,
Division - even small sections of stem will soon start producing roots when placed in water.