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Invasive - Eradicate!Salvinia is native to South America and is considered ecological devastating to native aquatic environments throughout the United States. |
Problems
Salvinia is one of the world's most noxious aquatic weeds. Salvina readily dominates slow moving or quiet freshwaters. Its rapid growth, vegetative reproduction and tolerance to environmental stress make it an aggressive, competitive species known to impact aquatic environments, water use and local economies.
Salvinia can impact irrigation systems, navigable waters, fisheries, electric power production, and rice farming. Giant mats reduce light penetration and result in oxygen depletion. As light becomes limiting, it affects the growth and survival of phytoplankton and vascular plants. Oxygen depletion may be so severely reduced beneath a mat that fish kills may occur.
Plant Description:
Salvinia is native to South America. It is a small free-floating plant that grows in clusters and develops into dense, floating mats or colonies in quiet water, undisturbed by wave action. The floating leaves of giant salvinia are oblong (0.5 to 1.5 inches long) with a distinct midrib along which the leaf may fold forming a compressed chain-like appearance. Salvinia plants have stiff leaf hairs on the upper surface of the leaves.
In giant salvinia the leaf hairs have a single stalk that divides into four branches that reconnect at the tip, giving the hair a cage-like or egg-beater appearance.
Underwater the leaves are modified into small root-like structures. The entire plant is only about 1 to 2 inch in depth. Salvinia plants are ferns and have no flower. Giant salvinia has sporangia but are thought to reproduce only by fragmentation. Giant salvinia can double in size in 4 to 10 days under good conditions.
Hints to Identify
The floating leaves of giant salvinia are oblong (0.5 to 1.5 inches long) with a distinct midrib along which the leaf may fold forming a compressed chain-like appearance.
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Homeowner Treatment Options
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| Clearcast |
| Sonar AS |
| Sonar RTU |
| *Aquatic Biologists recommends implementing preventative management techniques and physical removal prior to, or in conjunction with treatment. |
Common Application Questions
Q. How much should I treat?
A. The entire population should be treated as salvina is not native to the region.
Q. When is the best time to treat?
A. Once water temperatures are around sixty degrees or warmer.
Q. How often do I need to treat Salvina?
A. Multiple treatments are generally required.
Q. How long before I see results?
A. It really depends on the product you choose. For most vegetation, control will take approximately 2 weeks however, tissue damage may be evident within 2 to 4 days with liquid formulations. Some products are slower acting with results taking 30 days or more to achieve.
Q. Will the plants come back?
A. If roots are not killed, regrowth may become evident within 4 to 5 weeks.