Know what's growing in your pond before you treat it. A field guide to the most common invasive and nuisance aquatic plants in Bay County and Northwest Florida.
One of the most common mistakes pond owners make is applying a treatment without accurately identifying what's growing in their water. Different aquatic plants require fundamentally different management approaches — a product that effectively controls water hyacinth may have no effect on hydrilla, and vice versa. Misidentification wastes money and time, and can result in partial treatments that leave root systems intact and allow for rapid regrowth.
This guide covers the aquatic plant species most commonly encountered in ponds across Bay County, Walton County, Washington County, and the broader Florida Panhandle — with enough detail to help property owners make an accurate identification and understand the most appropriate management response.
What it looks like: Hydrilla grows completely underwater in dense, tangled mats. Individual stems are slender with small, serrated leaves arranged in whorls of 4–8 around the stem. The leaf edges feel rough to the touch — this is one of the easiest ways to distinguish hydrilla from similar-looking native plants. In summer, hydrilla grows rapidly toward the water surface and forms a thick canopy that blocks sunlight.
Where it grows: Hydrilla can establish in virtually any freshwater body — from small farm ponds to large lakes. It tolerates low light and a wide range of water temperatures, making it particularly difficult to control. It spreads through plant fragments, tubers, and turions (dormant buds).
Management: Hydrilla is a Florida-prohibited aquatic plant requiring active management. Effective control typically requires licensed aquatic herbicide treatment targeting root systems, combined with mechanical removal for immediate surface clearance.
What it looks like: A native submerged plant with slender, branching stems and very fine, slightly toothed leaves arranged oppositely or in whorls. It is softer to the touch than hydrilla and lacks the distinctly serrated leaf margins. Southern naiad provides important fish habitat and is not an invasive species, but can grow densely enough in enriched ponds to create management challenges.
What it looks like: Coontail is a rootless, submerged plant with stiff, forked leaves that resemble a raccoon's tail. It forms dense underwater masses and is often found in nutrient-rich ponds. Like naiad, it is a native plant that provides fish habitat but can require management when growth becomes excessive.
What it looks like: Water hyacinth is one of the most recognizable aquatic plants — a free-floating plant with glossy, rounded leaves on inflated, spongy petioles (stalks) and attractive lavender-purple flowers. The inflated petioles serve as a flotation device. Roots hang freely below the plant in feathery, dark masses.
Where it grows: Water hyacinth is found in calm to slow-moving freshwater. It forms dense, interlocking mats that can cover entire pond surfaces in weeks. It is a Florida Noxious Weed and one of the most aggressively managed species in the state.
Management: Mechanical harvesting combined with targeted herbicide application provides the best long-term control.
What it looks like: Water lettuce is a free-floating rosette plant that closely resembles a head of pale green lettuce. Leaves are velvety with prominent parallel veins and are arranged in a spiral. Like water hyacinth, it hangs feathery roots below the water surface. Water lettuce is a Florida Prohibited Aquatic Plant.
What it looks like: Duckweed consists of tiny (2–5mm) flat green discs that form a continuous mat on the water surface. Watermeal is even smaller — nearly microscopic — and creates a granular, bright-green coating on the water. Both are free-floating and reproduce rapidly in nutrient-rich water.
What it looks like: Cattails are tall (6–10 feet), erect emergent plants with flat, strap-like leaves and the distinctive brown, sausage-shaped seed heads. They grow in shallow water and wet soil at pond margins and spread aggressively via underground rhizomes. A single plant can expand into a dense colony covering hundreds of square feet within a few years.
What it looks like: Torpedo grass is an invasive grass that grows in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. It has flat, pale green leaves 4–8 inches long and spreads via rhizomes both above and below water. It forms dense mats in shallow water at pond edges and is one of the most difficult invasive species to control in Florida.
A native emergent plant with large, heart-shaped leaves and attractive purple flower spikes. Pickerelweed provides excellent wildlife habitat and is not an invasive species — it's an important component of healthy Florida pond margins. When present in small quantities, it should typically be left alone.
Free identification is part of every on-site estimate we provide. We'll identify every species present, explain the management options, and give you a clear plan — at no charge.
Schedule a Free AssessmentIf you're dealing with any of the Florida-prohibited species — hydrilla, water hyacinth, water lettuce, or torpedo grass — professional management is not optional in public waters and is strongly recommended for private ponds. These species spread rapidly and require treatment approaches that are not accessible to property owners without a Florida applicator's license.
Even for non-prohibited species, professional treatment typically produces better results faster and at a lower long-term cost than repeated DIY attempts. Panhandle Pond and Lake Services serves Bay, Walton, Okaloosa, Washington, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, and Calhoun Counties. Call (850) 819-9798 for a free assessment.
Related reading: How to Control Aquatic Weeds in Florida Panhandle Ponds | Hydrilla Control in Bay County, Florida