Curly Pondweed
Potamogeton crispus
In spring and summer, curly pondweed leaves are reddish-brown and become wider and curlier. (Graves Lowell/Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources)
Curly pondweed is a bay grass with broad, curly leaves along flat, branched stems. It grows in fresh non-tidal to slightly brackish tidal waters throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Appearance:
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Broad leaves with curly, finely toothed edges
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Leaves grow to 1-4 inches long
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Leaves grow alternately or slightly opposite on flat, branched stems
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In winter, leaves are blue-green and more flattened
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In spring and summer, leaves are reddish-brown and become wider and curlier
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Shallow root and rhizome system
Habitat:
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Grows in fresh non-tidal to slightly brackish tidal waters
Range:
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Found in the upper Chesapeake Bay and in tributaries such as streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs throughout the Bay watershed
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Native to Europe
Reproduction and Life Cycle:
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Has a three-stage life cycle
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During spring and summer, flowers bloom and float at the water’s surface
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Begins to die in mid-summer after producing buds, which lie dormant until autumn
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In winter, the spring/summer cycle repeats itself when buds sprout into new flowers
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Can also reproduce asexually when rhizomes or burr-like structures near the tips of the stems develop into new plants
Other Facts:
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Likely introduced to the United States in the mid-1800s
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Can become invasive in non-tidal waters because it grows early in the season and can shade out other bay grasses
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Can be confused with young shoots of redhead grass
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