| Scientific Name: | Pontederia crassipes |
| Common Name: | water hyacinth, water orchid |
| Family Name: | Pontederiaceae |
| Origin: | South America |
| Hardiness Zone: | Zone 9: (-7 to -1 °C) |
| Plant Type: | Annual (grown as), Aquatic plant, Herbaceous perennial, Invasive plant |
| Mature Size: | 0.2 - 0.4m x 0.1 - 0.3m (height x width) |
| Habit: | Spreading |
| Form: | Creeping / Mat-like |
| Texture: | Medium - coarse |
| Landscape Uses: | Aquatic - ponds, Container planting, Summer interest, Wetland - bogs, Wildlife food |
| Exposure: | Full sun |
| Soil or Media: | Bog |
| Leaves: | Simple, Basal, Leathery, Succulent, Glabrous, Lustrous, Ovate, Reniform, Entire |
| Flowers: | Spike, Violet, Pink, Jun-Jul-Aug-Sep |
| Fruit: | Capsule, Brown, Sep-Oct |
| Key ID Features: | |
| A free-floating perennial aquatic plant with feathery, free hanging roots. leaves basal, reniform to broadly ovate, 3-7(-15)cm long x 6-9(-20)cm wide, thick and glossy, each petiole has a swollen bladder for floatation that are 1-4cm wide; spike of 8-15 orchid-like flowers with six tepals, purplish-pink, Jun-Sep. | |