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Useful Tropical Plants

Eichhornia crassipes

(Mart.) Solms.

Pontederiaceae

+ Synonyms

Eichhornia cordifolia Gand.

Eichhornia crassicaulis Schltdl.

Eichhornia speciosa Kunth

Heteranthera formosa Miq.

Piaropus crassipes (Mart.) Raf.

Piaropus mesomelas Raf.

Pontederia crassicaulis Schltdl.

Pontederia crassipes Mart.

Pontederia elongata Balf.

Common Name: Water Hyacinth

Eichhornia crassipes
Individual flowering plant
Photograph by: Tonynirappathu
Public domain
Eichhornia crassipes Eichhornia crassipes Eichhornia crassipes Eichhornia crassipes Eichhornia crassipes Eichhornia crassipes Eichhornia crassipes Eichhornia crassipes Eichhornia crassipes

General Information

Eichhornia crassipes is an aquatic plant that can be free-floating in the water or rooting into the mud in shallow water. It grows 50 - 100cm tall[
413
Title
Global Invasive Species Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.issg.org/database/welcome/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Very detailed information on almost 400 species (with more being added) of plants that have become weeds in areas outside their native range.
,
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
].
Considered to be one of the worst weeds in the world, water hyacinth can also be used to remove pollutants from water, provide organic matter for biomass and is edible. The plant is grown as an ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical regions of the world.
This is an extremely fast growing plant. Under favourable conditions it can double the area it is covering every 6 - 15 days. It has escaped from cultivation and become a very invasive weed of water courses in the tropics[
260
Title
Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2
Publication
 
Author
Phillips. R. & Rix. M.
Publisher
Pan Books, London.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-330-37376-5
Description
Excellent photos of over 1,100 species and cultivars with habits and cultivation details plus a few plant uses. Many species are too tender for outdoors in Britain though there are many that can be grown outside.
], causing great environmental problems in many areas where it has become naturalized. Great care should be taken if introducing it to new ponds, but it is easy to control when grown in confined areas[
302
Title
Tropical Ornamentals; A Guide
Publication
 
Author
Whistler. W. Arthur.
Publisher
Timber Press Inc. Oregon.
Year
2000
ISBN
0-88192-448-2
Description
An excellent little guide to some of the more commonly cultivated ornamental plants of the Tropics, often giving some information on the plants other uses.
]. It is extremely important, when removing any plant material from the pond, that it is not released into any other water course[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]. Subsistence farmers in Bangladesh face disaster when rafts of water hyacinth weighing up to 300 tonnes per hectare float over their rice paddies. As the floods recede, the weeds remain on the germinating rice, thus killing it[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
]. Engineers have estimated that the Panama Canal would be impassable within three years without continuous aquatic weed control measures[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].

Known Hazards

Eating the plant, which is reported to contain HCN, alkaloids, and triterpenoids, may induce itching[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
]. Fresh plants contain prickly crystals[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].
Plants sprayed with 2,4-D may accumulate lethal doses of nitrates[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].

Botanical References

50
Title
Flora Europaea
Publication
 
Author
?
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Year
1964
ISBN
-
Description
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
,
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
,
270
Title
Flora of N. America
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.

Range

Tropics. Naturalized in central and southern Portugal[
50
Title
Flora Europaea
Publication
 
Author
?
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Year
1964
ISBN
-
Description
An immense work in 6 volumes (including the index). The standard reference flora for Europe, it is very terse though and with very little extra information. Not for the casual reader.
]

Habitat

Thrives in a variety of fresh water habitats, from shallow ponds, marshes, and small streams to large lakes and rivers[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
]. Moist and boggy areas; at elevations from 200 - 1,500 metres in Nepal[
272
Title
Plants and People of Nepal
Publication
 
Author
Manandhar. N. P.
Publisher
Timber Press. Oregon.
Year
2002
ISBN
0-88192-527-6
Description
Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
].

Properties

Weed PotentialYes
Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitPerennial
Height0.25 m
Growth RateFast
PollinatorsBees, Insects
Self-fertileYes
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Water hyacinth can succeed in a variety of climates from the subtropical to the tropical zones. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 20 - 35°c, but can tolerate 10 - 40°c[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
]. It can be killed by temperatures of 1°c or lower[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
]. Plants cannot tolerate water temperatures in excess of 34°c[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 3,000mm, but tolerates 600 - 4,000mm[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
].
Prefers growing in a sunny but cool pool[
260
Title
Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2
Publication
 
Author
Phillips. R. & Rix. M.
Publisher
Pan Books, London.
Year
1998
ISBN
0-330-37376-5
Description
Excellent photos of over 1,100 species and cultivars with habits and cultivation details plus a few plant uses. Many species are too tender for outdoors in Britain though there are many that can be grown outside.
]. Prefers a pH in the range 6.7 - 7.3, tolerating 5 - 8[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
].
Azotobacter chroococcum, a Nitrogen-fixing bacteria, may be concentrated around the bases of the petioles but doesn't fix nitrogen unless the plant is suffering extreme nitrogen-deficiency[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].

Edible Uses

Young leaves and petioles - cooked[
144
Title
Wild Food in Australia.
Publication
 
Author
Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
Publisher
Fontana
Year
1976
ISBN
0-00-634436-4
Description
A very good pocket guide.
,
177
Title
Plants for Human Consumption.
Publication
 
Author
Kunkel. G.
Publisher
Koeltz Scientific Books
Year
1984
ISBN
3874292169
Description
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
,
272
Title
Plants and People of Nepal
Publication
 
Author
Manandhar. N. P.
Publisher
Timber Press. Oregon.
Year
2002
ISBN
0-88192-527-6
Description
Excellent book, covering over 1,500 species of useful plants from Nepal together with information on the geography and peoples of Nepal. Good descriptions of the plants with terse notes on their uses.
]. Virtually tasteless[
144
Title
Wild Food in Australia.
Publication
 
Author
Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
Publisher
Fontana
Year
1976
ISBN
0-00-634436-4
Description
A very good pocket guide.
,
177
Title
Plants for Human Consumption.
Publication
 
Author
Kunkel. G.
Publisher
Koeltz Scientific Books
Year
1984
ISBN
3874292169
Description
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
]. Said to be used as a carotene-rich table vegetable in Formosa. Javanese sometimes cook and eat the green parts and inflorescence[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].

Flower spikes - cooked[
144
Title
Wild Food in Australia.
Publication
 
Author
Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
Publisher
Fontana
Year
1976
ISBN
0-00-634436-4
Description
A very good pocket guide.
,
177
Title
Plants for Human Consumption.
Publication
 
Author
Kunkel. G.
Publisher
Koeltz Scientific Books
Year
1984
ISBN
3874292169
Description
An excellent book for the dedicated. A comprehensive listing of Latin names with a brief list of edible parts.
].

Medicinal

The leaf petioles are eaten as a treatment for diarrhoea[
348
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
Publication
 
Author
DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
Website
http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
Publisher
Smithsonian Museum
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].
An infusion of the inflated petioles is used in a bath to treat fevers[
348
Title
Medicinal Plants of the Guianas
Publication
 
Author
DeFilipps, R. A.; Maina, S. L.; & Crepin, J.
Website
http://botany.si.edu/bdg/medicinal/index.html
Publisher
Smithsonian Museum
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A down-loadable PDF document of a book in pre-publication awaiting illustration. An excellent, if rather terse, guide to the traditional medicinal uses of the plants of the region
].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant can be removed from the water and used to improve the soil. It can be used as compost material; it can be applied direct to the soil as a green manure (dug into the soil); or can be used as a mulch on top of the soil[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
].
Dried and cleansed plants can be used as fertilizer and plant mulch[
144
Title
Wild Food in Australia.
Publication
 
Author
Cribb. A. B. and J. W.
Publisher
Fontana
Year
1976
ISBN
0-00-634436-4
Description
A very good pocket guide.
,
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].
Water hyacinth roots naturally absorb pollutants, including such toxic chemicals as lead, mercury, and strontium 90 (as well as some organic compounds believed to be carcinogenic) in concentrations 10,000 times that in the surrounding water[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].

Other Uses

Water hyacinths are potentially an excellent source of biomass. Through an anaerobic fermentation process, polluted hyacinths can be converted to the natural gas methane - a costly process that may become more economical as supplies of underground natural gas are depleted[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
]. Eventually, living aquatic plants might serve aboard long-distance manned spacecraft, absorbing wastes and converting carbon dioxide to oxygen, then being themselves converted into food[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
]. The plant can be cultivated for use in wastewater treatment, and can be incorporated into a system where the biomass is harvested for fuel production[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
]. Since this biomass is a by-product of wastewater treatment, it has a positive environmental impact, and thus poses no threat as competitor to food, feed, or fibre-producing plants[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
]. Wilted water hyacinth, mixed with earth, cow dung, and wood ashes in the Chinese compost fashion, can yield useful compost in just two months[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
]. Although potential yields are incredible, so are the costs of removal or attempted eradication of this water weed. Standing crops have been estimated to produce 100-120 tonnes per hectare per year[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].. Under ideal conditions, each plant can produce 248 offspring in 90 days[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].

In Africa, fresh plants are used as cushions in canoes and to plug holes in charcoal sacks[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].

In Indonesia a home industry has been established producing handicrafts such as lady handbags, slippers, hats, and vests from the elongated dried petioles of water hyacinth[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Propagation

Seeds can tolerate submersion or desiccation for 15 years and still germinate[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
]. Scarification, but not light, may be required for germination[
269
Title
Handbook of Energy Crops
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J.
Website
https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html
Publisher
-
Year
1983
ISBN
-
Description
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants.
].
The fruits usually mature under water and in general a period of 20 days is necessary for the production of ripe seed. When the fruit bursts upon maturity, seeds will sink to the bottom of the water. The seed-coat acts as a physical barrier to germination. However, if the seed-coat is cracked, for example by alternate drying and wetting, germination may occur soon after shedding. On the other hand, there are reports of seeds remaining dormant for a period of about 20 years[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Division
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-07. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Eichhornia+crassipes>

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