Common Name: Parrot's Feather

General Information

Parrot's feather is a bright or glaucous green perennial freshwater herb that, extending from the bank or rising up through several meters of water, forms vigorous mats of tangled stems[].
The edible leaves are sometimes gathered from the wild and consumed locally. The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental in aquaria[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Southern and western S. America - Brazil.

Habitat

Freshwater streams and adjacent saturated mud or gravel[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	2.00 m
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of tropical areas, it is able to tolerates a wide range of temperatures and can succeed in warm temperate and subtropical areas, though it is most prolific in the tropics[].

The plant is naturalized in many areas as a weed. It is widely distributed throughout the aquarium trade and is spread into the wild as a result of people dumping plants from their aquarium[]. Even small parts of the plant can produce new roots[].
The species normally produces male and female flowers on separate plants but occasionally plants bearing flowers of both sexes occur.
Almost all of the plants found outside the plant's native range of Brazil are female forms[].

Edible Uses

Young shoot tips - cooked and used as a vegetable[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -
Stem cuttings

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