Plant Management in Florida Waters
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Para grass
Quick Facts
- Scientific name: Urochloa mutica
- Origin: South & Africa
- Introduction: Late 1800s, forage grass
- Aquatic community: Emergent grass
- Habitat: Wet soils, shorelines, floating mats
- Distribution: Central and South Florida
- Management effort: Complaint management
- 2017 public waters / plant acres: 195 (42%) / 1,203
- 2017 Waters / acres controlled: 8 / 993
Environmental and Economic Concerns
- Sprawling grass up to 15 feet long that forms dense tufts on shorelines
- Provides little wildlife value and crowds out native plants
- Covers vast areas of wetlands and marshes, especially south Florida
- Fills ditches and shallow canals, impeding water movement
- Mats can break loose from shorelines forming floating islands
