Avoid introduced invasive plants
Exotic aquatic plant species are often sold in garden centres for garden ponds. However, it is impossible to prevent the spread of these invasive species from garden ponds into the wider natural environment. The exotic plants spread, for example birds can transport small fragments of these plants from gardens to the wild.
Once in the wild, these exotic invasives can cause havoc in Britain’s ponds, lakes, rivers and other waterways.
Without natural predators and in our temperate climate, these plants grow rapidly often to nuisance proportions. Invasive plants out-compete native plants and pose a threat to our native invertebrates, amphibians and fish by blocking out heat and light from the water. They can also clog up water treatment works and also pose a flood risk.
The following plants are aquatic invasives and should be avoided:
- Australian Swamp Stonecrop, New Zealand Stonecrop, New Zealand Pigmyweed (Crassula helmsii)
- Canadian Waterweed or Pondweed (Elodea canadensis) Curly Waterweed (Lagarosiphon major or Elodea crispa)
- Fanwort (Cabomba carolinana) Floating Pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides) Giant Salvinia (Salvinia molesta) Green Seafingers (Codium fragile) Lesser Duckweed (Lemna miniscla) Nuttall's Waterweed (Elodea nuttallii)
- Parrot's Feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum or Myriophullym brasiliensis)
- Water Fern (Azolla filliculoides) Water Hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) Water Primrose (Lugwigia grandiflora)
What can you do?
- Do not buy any of the invasive species listed. These species all cause significant damage to our native habitats and shade out native plants. Alert store mangers to the problems these species cause and encourage them not to stock them.
- Buy native species to Britain. But be aware that fragments of invasive plants could still be found in the soil of these natives. Some stores only stock native only plants to reduce this problem.
- Don’t plant up ponds, but leave them to colonise naturally. This reduces the risk of accidental transfer of invasive alien plants and allows native plants to colonise naturally. New ponds are a very distinctive habitat, used by plants and animals that are not found in more mature ponds.
- Compost excess garden plant material properly, DO NOT put them down the drain or in the rubbish. Never dump garden plants into the countryside.
- Clean your boots and fishing and boating equipment before transporting them from one water body to another to avoid spreading aquatic invasive species.
- Don’t bring plants, fruits or soil into the country from aboard.
