invasive water plant id

[tigertom]

Hi have seen this water plant to day on local canal can some one please id this for me, it dos seem to be very invasive did not notice any off it last time was along this canal about five months ago the canal its self is not used by boats but is very good place for water life and wildlife in gen.
Thanks
MIKE

[King Edward]

That's Hydrocotyle ranunculoides (Floating Pennywort), a very invasive species indeed. Was it just the one patch you saw or was there more? Either way, it should be eradicated. It would be worth contacting either the Environment Agency or British Waterways (perhaps both) to check that they are aware of it. If not controlled, it will continue to spread at a rapid rate.

[tigertom]

Originally Posted by King Edward

That's Hydrocotyle ranunculoides (Floating Pennywort), a very invasive species indeed. Was it just the one patch you saw or was there more? Either way, it should be eradicated. It would be worth contacting either the Environment Agency or British Waterways (perhaps both) to check that they are aware of it. If not controlled, it will continue to spread at a rapid rate.

At the moment are patchs of this plant over 1/4 mile stetch with the worst of it at the top end showen in pics the canal is approx 2 miles long how long, till this weed would cover all of it if not controled and what would hapen to fish an other wild life if this is not controled
THANKS
MIKE

[Kayleigh]

This is the stuff that was in my pond I had to drain it and pull every strand of it out..

[tigertom]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

This is the stuff that was in my pond I had to drain it and pull every strand of it out..

going to take some removeing from this canal dred to think what it will do to waterlife in there is well stocked with fish and full of insect life just to day i seen four diiferent dragonflys only one i could id was a male emperor was allso some types of chasers I also think may be home to one or to water voles.
MIKE

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by tigertom

going to take some removeing from this canal dred to think what it will do to waterlife in there is well stocked with fish and full of insect life just to day i seen four diiferent dragonflys only one i could id was a male emperor was allso some types of chasers I also think may be home to one or to water voles.
MIKE

It choked and killed my pond god knows what affect it it have in the wild but the tax payer will foot the bill as usual when irresponsible garden centres sell this rubbish then it gets out into the wild by idiots..

[tigertom]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

It choked and killed my pond god knows what affect it it have in the wild but the tax payer will foot the bill as usual when irresponsible garden centres sell this rubbish then it gets out into the wild by idiots..

Well hopeing it will get sorted have sent emails to the EA, local Council and angling club that has the fishing rights on this statch of canal and I will be following up on them later next week.
MIKE

[APC]

That stuff's a laugh. It'll need to be pulled and composted where it can't even think about rooting, in the dark. Where it used to live will need to be covered with black matting for ages, and work backwards to where it came from. Which will probably be miles and miles.

[King Edward]

If you google "Environment Agency" & "Floating Pennywort", there are a number of pages describing control of this species on canals, using a combination of physical removal and herbicide, sometimes with the aid of volunteers. So it would be worth speaking to them as well to see if they are planning to do anything, and to offer help if they are looking for any.

This is definitely one species that should be banned from sale, since historically I think it's been sold wrongly described as Marsh Pennywort (a harmless native species, which isn't even particularly suitable for garden ponds).

[tigertom]

Originally Posted by APC

That stuff's a laugh. It'll need to be pulled and composted where it can't even think about rooting, in the dark. Where it used to live will need to be covered with black matting for ages, and work backwards to where it came from. Which will probably be miles and miles.

Lucky this canal is only two miles long I have sent three emails to night (see my post above) and only in top half of canal at moment just hope action can taken ouickly.