Author Topic: Duck Weed - it's illegal ya know, and here's why... (Read 3720 times)

Sonny · « **on:** July 12, 2009, 11:51:45 AM »

We went to Armond Bayou Nature Center yesterday. There is a pond there and it is covered in duck weed; makes the pond kind of eerie. I'm not sure why they don't try to get rid of it (it's illegal here in TX).

And it makes it hard to see the turtles.

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #1 on:** July 12, 2009, 12:10:30 PM »

Looks like pea soup in the 1st pic. I'm not sure if there is a problem here in CA but I can see how it could be. I have it growing in water pots for control. Easier to collect for feeding the koi and turtles.

Esther · « **Reply #2 on:** July 12, 2009, 12:18:06 PM »

How is something illegal that grows naturally? I must have misunderstood you.

bunny56lbc · « **Reply #3 on:** July 12, 2009, 12:24:34 PM »

The turtle even has some on it's back ...

bonnie

Sonny · « **Reply #4 on:** July 12, 2009, 12:30:24 PM »

Quote from: Esther on July 12, 2009, 12:18:06 PM

How is something illegal that grows naturally? I must have misunderstood you.

It's a non-indigenous invasive species. You can be fined and/or thrown into jail if you are caught with it in your posession.

http://www.ntwgs.org/articles/illegalAquatics.html

jclements · « **Reply #5 on:** July 12, 2009, 01:10:49 PM »

A few years back, we rented a house in Florida. I really enjoyed living there, it had a natural pond in the yard and tons of wildlife, right in the middle of the city. Anyway, a few years before we rented it, there was a flood, and a neighboring pond containing duckweed overflowed into the rental house's pond. Just the tiniest bit of duckweed overtook the entire thing--it looked like a putting green. We offered to buy triploid carp from the state in an effort to clean it up, or even to install some sort of aereation/fountain, or herbicide to help.

Sonny · « **Reply #6 on:** July 12, 2009, 01:16:03 PM »

I'm pretty sure it's illegal in Florida too. Seems really difficult to enforce such laws though. As in your case Jessica... through no fault of your own you had it. And I'm sure there are other ways of it migrating to your backyard pond. Piggy-backing on birds, for example.

jw · « **Reply #7 on:** July 12, 2009, 02:16:56 PM »

Mine doesn't seem to reproduce very fast................and I'm wondering why?

Amy · « **Reply #8 on:** July 12, 2009, 02:24:57 PM »

JW mine won't grow either! I had some on a plant I bought from the store and knew the fish loved to eat it. I put it in a container since everyone says it multiplies so fast but mine is doing nothing....it gets full sun, I can't figure it out either!

Anyone know if there are different kinds of duckweed cause the duckweed in those pics looks a different color green and looks bigger than mine......hummmm maybe what I have isn't even duckweed! HAHA!

Lynne22 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 12, 2009, 02:29:12 PM »

Quote from: Esther on July 12, 2009, 12:18:06 PM

How is something illegal that grows naturally? I must have misunderstood you.

There are a lot of water plants that are illegal to possess here in Florida too. Like water lettuce, and hyacinth for instance. They clog the waterways, and cost millions of dollars a year to clean out. I don't agree with making them illegal, but I can see both sides of the issue too.

jw · « **Reply #10 on:** July 12, 2009, 02:39:08 PM »

Amy, I have tried it in full sun and part shade and all shade and nothing seems to work. It just kinda sits there and waits for what I don't know $:-\$ . In the winter I guess I will scoop out what I can and put it in the green house with an aquarium heater in a big container and see if it survives til the next spring. I have it in my pond contained in a floating hoop w/ a net surrounding the bottom so the fish can't eat it or it would be gone in 3 seconds

.

Sonny · « **Reply #11 on:** July 12, 2009, 02:50:39 PM »

Quote from: Amy on July 12, 2009, 02:24:57 PM

JW mine won't grow either! I had some on a plant I bought from the store and knew the fish loved to eat it. I put it in a container since everyone says it multiplies so fast but mine is doing nothing....it gets full sun, I can't figure it out either!

Anyone know if there are different kinds of duckweed cause the duckweed in those pics looks a different color green and looks bigger than mine......hummmm maybe what I have isn't even duckweed! HAHA!

I've read there are a large and small variety of duck weed. There's another floater called Azolla (I think) which is even smaller.

jw · « **Reply #12 on:** July 12, 2009, 03:06:55 PM »

I have both types and Azolla and none of mine grow very well $:-\$ . What do they like?

Amy · « **Reply #13 on:** July 12, 2009, 03:18:43 PM »

I'm going to go take a pic of mine and post....maybe I don't even have duckweed! I am sure one of you will know what the heck I am trying to harvest here! LOL!

jw · « **Reply #14 on:** July 12, 2009, 03:34:42 PM »

Amy check this out: http://www.mobot.org/jwcross/duckweed/duckpix.htm

Amy · « **Reply #15 on:** July 12, 2009, 03:36:56 PM »

Oh! I'm not sure I have duckweed now! Mine doesn't look like those either JW! I just posted a pic in a new topic...

jw · « **Reply #16 on:** July 12, 2009, 03:39:58 PM »

We are just missing each other going back and forth

. I'm not sure either as your picture isn't a real close up of the leaves.

Amy · « **Reply #17 on:** July 12, 2009, 03:42:48 PM »

I will post a bigger one...or try

Missa · « **Reply #18 on:** July 12, 2009, 03:47:57 PM »

Quote from: Amy on July 12, 2009, 03:36:56 PM

Oh! I'm not sure I have duckweed now! Mine doesn't look like those either JW! I just posted a pic in a new topic...

Did you scroll to the bottom?

There's another pic there.

Sonny · « **Reply #19 on:** July 12, 2009, 03:58:23 PM »

Quote from: jw on July 12, 2009, 03:06:55 PM

I have both types and Azolla and none of mine grow very well $:-\$ . What do they like?

They like the South.

That's probably why they're illegal down here.

Amy · « **Reply #20 on:** July 12, 2009, 05:58:53 PM »

LOL Sonny that explains why it hates it here in Ohio!

PondmaninAL · « **Reply #21 on:** July 12, 2009, 06:22:50 PM »

Lynne, there are ponders in this part of Florida that have Water Hyacinth and/or Water Lettuce. The thing is, the authorities over-look it unless the ponder is close enough to a natural body of water that it might escape or they are in a pond at a nursery. With the right paper work, Water Hyacinths can be sold to people in other states where WH is not illegal.

Sonny, duckweed is not illegal in Florida.There are five forms of duckweed. Check out this link. http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/node/672

Duckweed is used on sewage treatment ponds here in Florida. They should allow them to use Water Hyacinths, they absorb more nutrients.

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #22 on:** July 13, 2009, 08:59:45 AM »

When duckweed isn't doing well in a pond the water could be too cold or too sterile. Got UV light?

Amy, you do have duckweed.

Amy · « **Reply #23 on:** July 13, 2009, 09:29:53 AM »

Quote from: LeeAnne151 on July 13, 2009, 08:59:45 AM

When duckweed isn't doing well in a pond the water could be too cold or too sterile. Got UV light?

Amy, you do have duckweed.

we did have one until it caught on fire! LOL...the duckweed isn't in the pond though, just a container.

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #24 on:** July 14, 2009, 08:35:59 AM »

A container of fresh water or an established container pond? A container of fresh water doesn't have any nutrients in it.

Add some fertilizer.

Julles · « **Reply #25 on:** July 14, 2009, 08:42:35 AM »

I sure didn't know duckweed is illegal here. I have a tub of it sitting right out on the driveway, for all the world to see. I knew to keep the water hyacinth in the back yard, but didn't realize I had to hide the duckweed, too.

Funny, 'cause the fish eat it. Guess they can't eat it fast enough to keep it from clogging the waterways.

Craig · « **Reply #26 on:** July 14, 2009, 04:47:05 PM »

Duckweed per se is not illegal in Texas, one particular species of Spirodela is. Most of the duckweed in the hobby is one species or other of Lemna which is a native species to many states, including TX. When I checked my reference, no state has a ban against any Lemna sp and only TX and LA ban Spirodela.

Also...there is no paperwork available from the state of Florida that permits the sale of Hyacinth from FL to any other state whether it is legal there or not. The permit to cultivate Hyacinth is very specific in stating that the cultivation is for "international" sales only.