
Plant ID Guide
Efficient and effective treatment of lake water to ensure safe and clean water for community use.
Floating Plants
These plants either float freely on the surface deriving their nutrients directly from the water via root systems or cell wall interactions.
Floating plants have leaves that float on the surface and are not rooted in the bottom sediment. Common species include:
Submerged Plants
These plants are completely underwater and are generally rooted in the bottom sediment. If flowers exist, they may extend above the surface of the water. Common species include:
- American Pondweed
- Bladderwort
- Brittle Naiad
- Cabomba (Fanwort)
- Coontail
- Curly-Leafed Pondweed (NON-NATIVE)
- Eelgrass
- Elodea
- Eurasian Watermilfoil (NON-NATIVE)
- Hydrilla (NON-NATIVE)
- Illinois Pondweed
- Parrotfeather
- Southern Naiad
- Sago Pondweed
- Variable-Leaf Pondweeed
- Water Stargrass
- Widgeon Grass
Emergent Plants
These plants grow in shallow areas of lakes, ponds, rivers, and ditches. Generally rigid, these plants do not need water for support. Some of these plants are not considered truly aquatic but can survive submerged in water or in saturated soils for extended periods of time.
Common species include:
- Arrowhead
- Bulrush
- Cattail
- Flowering Rush (NON-NATIVE)
- Purple Loosestrife (NON-NATIVE)
- White Water Lily
- Water Shield
- Yellow Water Lily
Algae
Closely related to fungi, the algae consist of over 17,000 different species. The three main types of algae are:
Invasive Plant Species
Protecting Michigan’s water is the most important goal of ours. Keeping out exotic species that harm the natural ecosystem is an important task.
Click here to see a list of invasive species in Michigan and if you think you see this in your waterbody let us know!

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