WHAT IS IT?
This European, Asian and North African native is an aquatic submersed plant, usually growing in less than fifteen feet of water. Eurasian watermilfoil has featherlike leaves arranged in circles of four on the stem, and tiny flowers that poke into the air. Each leaf usually has more than twelve pairs of leaflets, and when out of water the plant is limp. Branching is abundant in water three to ten feet deep.
EFFECTS:
Eurasian watermilfoil becomes a nuisance when it grows in dense beds and its foliage crowds the water surface, hindering recreational activities such as boating, swimming, and fishing. These dense plant beds cause a loss of plant diversity and fish habitat by crowding and shading out native species.
SPREAD:
This plant can spread quickly because of the fact that any individual fragment of the plant can take root and form a new colony. Fragments can be transported by floating downstream, or by attaching to boats, propellers or trailers.