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Floating Pennywort


Introduced to the UK in the 1980s by the aquatic nursery trade, this fleshy-stemmed plant uses its roots to inter-weave a floating mat of lush foliage.

But don’t be fooled by this former resident of tropical aquaria and garden ponds, this highly invasive plant is a real problem. It grows very rapidly in late summer – up to 20cm per day – and is responsible for swamping waterways, crowding out native plants and taking oxygen from fish and insects.

Like the Japanese Knotweed, it also has the ability to grow from miniscule fragments, making its removal incredibly difficult and expensive.

Last updated: 22/10/2008