Common Name(s): | Common duck’s meat, Duck’s meat, Giant duckweed |
Scientific Name: | Spirodela polyrhiza |
Family: | Lemnaceae |
Growth Traits: | Native, annual, warm season |
Description: This floating plant can have multiple fronds, or leaves, per plant with multiple roots extending from each frond. Fronds are about 0.1 to 0.2 inch long and are usually as wide as they are long. The tops of the fronds are usually green, and the bottoms usually are a reddish-purple color. Common duck’s meat can completely cover a pond and is typically found with other floating vegetation. It is common in impoundments that are protected from wind and
wave action, which can prevent it from becoming very abundant. When common duck’s meat covers a pond for a lengthy time, the pond can experience dissolved oxygen problems that can cause a fish kill. This plant is eaten by waterfowl and also can provide habitat for invertebrates, which are eaten by fish and waterfowl. |
Chemical Control Options: Fluridone, penoxsulam, flumioxazin, diquat or imazapyr. |
Mechanical Control Options: Physically removing common duck’s meat is only temporarily effective because it has the ability to recover quickly. Removing timber that blocks wind to the south and north of a pond usually allows more wave action, which physically moves common duck’s meat off a pond and onto the shore when the bank slope is not too steep. |
Biological Control Options: Grass carp or tilapia generally are only somewhat effective. |