Aquatic Invasive Plant Identification Cards: Water Lettuce and Water Hyacinth
DOWNLOADSeptember 2, 2026 - Jo Latimore, Paige Filice, Erick Elgin, and Chelsea Cooper
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EmailWith its abundance of lakes, rivers, and wetlands, Michigan is vulnerable to the impacts of aquatic invasive plants. Invasive plants can negatively impact habitat, water quality, and biodiversity. Fortunately, new invasions can often be stopped if caught early. To help Michiganders identify invasive aquatic plants, Michigan State University Extension created a series of illustrated identification cards.
Learning to identify aquatic invasive plants is critical to slowing their spread in Michigan lakes, rivers, and wetlands. If your organization is interested in large quantities of any of these identification cards for distribution, they are currently available in packs of 100 of each design at no cost by filling out our request form at bit.ly/aiscards. You may also be interested in our more detailed 2025 publication, “Aquatic Invasive Plants: A Field Guide for Michigan Lakes, Streams, and Ponds.”
Water Lettuce and Water Hyacinth
Water lettuce and water hyacinth are two free-floating invasive plants that are occasionally found in Michigan waters because of their use in water gardens and ornamental ponds. Both are easily identified and difficult to confuse with any Michigan native plants. Water lettuce has thick, fuzzy, ridged green leaves and long brown roots. Water hyacinth has round, waxy green leaves held above the water by inflated green petioles. It also produces showy upright flower clusters that range from purple to white, and dense, feathery roots.
