Plant Management in Florida Waters
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Giant salvinia
Quick Facts
- Scientific name: Salvinia molesta
- Origin: South America
- Introduction:1990s, horticulturists
- Aquatic community: Floating
- Habitat: Water surfaces, quiescent waters
- Distribution: N & central FL lakes, SW FL canals
- Management effort: Eradication in several locations
- 2017 public waters / plant acres: 1 / 0.1
- 2017 Waters / acres controlled: 4 (private ponds/ditches) / 1.3
Environmental and Economic Concerns
- Grows rapidly and reproduces by vegetative fragments
- Dense infestations block navigation, cover native plants, and clog irrigation pipes
- wind and water movement can pile plants into mats a foot or more thick
- thick mats hinder herbicide control – herbicides may only kill the top layer of plants
- Reduces oxygen content in water which can lead to fish kills
- Considered one of the world’s worst weeds
- Under FWC eradication programs in four pond / ditch systems in Florida
Management Options
- Biological: South American weevil, Cyrtobagous salviniae
- Chemical: Diquat, fluridone, flumioxazin, glyphosate, penoxsulam
- Mechanical: Not feasible in current infestations
- Physical: Dewatering, hand picking surviving plants after herbicide application in small pond eradication sites
