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Aquatic Plant ID
They go by different names. You may call them “weeds,” “grass” or “moss.” Aquatic plants are an integral part of the Tennessee River’s ecosystem, whether providing nutrients for the species at the bottom of the food chain, cover and ambush areas for largemouth bass or food source for the multitude of local waterfowl.
This guide provides information to help you understand when these plants are most productive, where they grow and—most importantly—help you identify them. Whether you are an angler, property owner or any other lake user, we invite you to learn more about the aquatic plants present in our Tennessee Valley region reservoirs.
The guide also offers season-by-season tips for fishing among these plants.
Floating and Floating Leaf Plants
Southern Naiad
Native southern naiad (Najas guadalupensis) will increase growth and begin to top out during summer. Reaching the surface, the plant will begin to flower and continue to bloom through fall.
Description
Southern naiad is a rooted submersed aquatic annual with branching slender stems up to 3 feet long. The opposite, dark green leaves are about an inch long and less than a ¼ inch wide, with slightly wider sloping shoulders at the base of the leaf. Male and female flowers are borne on the same plant in the leaf axils and lack sepals and petals. Male flowers have a single stamen, and female flowers have a single ovary. Fruits are green and slightly cylindrical, or banana-shaped, and less than ¼ inch in size, with square pits in loosely arranged rows.
Habitat
Southern naiad is a native plant found in ponds, lakes and streams throughout the southern United States. It causes occasional water use problems but is an excellent food source for waterfowl. Southern naiad is common in the Tennessee Valley region in lakes, reservoirs and small ponds. It often occurs mixed with muskgrass, brittle naiad and pondweeds.
Identifying Features
What It Looks Like—Like other naiads, leaves are opposing and submersed. Southern naiad leaves are typically shorter than similar-looking pondweed species.
Where to Find It—Southern naiad can be found in a variety of places. This plant can do well in areas where invasive plants like hydrilla and milfoil aren’t present. Look in shallow water areas that are void of these other species.
Max Depth—5 feet
Similar Species—Slender and sago pondweeds look similar, but their leaves alternate, whereas southern naiad leaves oppose. Brittle naiad is bushier in appearance and leaves have teeth along their edges.
Seasonal Fishing Techniques
Spring—Like most native annual plants, southern naiad will begin to emerge in late April or early May. Try a rattle-trap, big swim bait or Carolina rig that will float just above emerging plants. These plants grow in clumps, so fishing the open areas between plants is a good bet.
Summer—Southern naiad will increase growth and begin to top out during summer. Reaching the surface, the plant will begin to flower and continue to bloom through fall. The brittle nature of the plant makes punching easy.
Fall—Competition for space with invasive plants will leave southern naiad confined to shallow depths and areas void of other species. Southern naiad often hangs around slightly longer than some of the other native pondweeds and naiads. Find places where southern naiad and other species were intermixed in summer and try flipping into southern naiad growing shallower inside larger milfoil and hydrilla mats.
Winter—Southern naiad will die completely back, leaving only seed behind.
Drawbacks
Southern naiad can grow to nuisance levels, causing water use problems, and can be very difficult to manage.
Shoreline Plants
Southern Naiad
Native southern naiad (Najas guadalupensis) will increase growth and begin to top out during summer. Reaching the surface, the plant will begin to flower and continue to bloom through fall.
Description
Southern naiad is a rooted submersed aquatic annual with branching slender stems up to 3 feet long. The opposite, dark green leaves are about an inch long and less than a ¼ inch wide, with slightly wider sloping shoulders at the base of the leaf. Male and female flowers are borne on the same plant in the leaf axils and lack sepals and petals. Male flowers have a single stamen, and female flowers have a single ovary. Fruits are green and slightly cylindrical, or banana-shaped, and less than ¼ inch in size, with square pits in loosely arranged rows.
Habitat
Southern naiad is a native plant found in ponds, lakes and streams throughout the southern United States. It causes occasional water use problems but is an excellent food source for waterfowl. Southern naiad is common in the Tennessee Valley region in lakes, reservoirs and small ponds. It often occurs mixed with muskgrass, brittle naiad and pondweeds.
Identifying Features
What It Looks Like—Like other naiads, leaves are opposing and submersed. Southern naiad leaves are typically shorter than similar-looking pondweed species.
Where to Find It—Southern naiad can be found in a variety of places. This plant can do well in areas where invasive plants like hydrilla and milfoil aren’t present. Look in shallow water areas that are void of these other species.
Max Depth—5 feet
Similar Species—Slender and sago pondweeds look similar, but their leaves alternate, whereas southern naiad leaves oppose. Brittle naiad is bushier in appearance and leaves have teeth along their edges.
Seasonal Fishing Techniques
Spring—Like most native annual plants, southern naiad will begin to emerge in late April or early May. Try a rattle-trap, big swim bait or Carolina rig that will float just above emerging plants. These plants grow in clumps, so fishing the open areas between plants is a good bet.
Summer—Southern naiad will increase growth and begin to top out during summer. Reaching the surface, the plant will begin to flower and continue to bloom through fall. The brittle nature of the plant makes punching easy.
Fall—Competition for space with invasive plants will leave southern naiad confined to shallow depths and areas void of other species. Southern naiad often hangs around slightly longer than some of the other native pondweeds and naiads. Find places where southern naiad and other species were intermixed in summer and try flipping into southern naiad growing shallower inside larger milfoil and hydrilla mats.
Winter—Southern naiad will die completely back, leaving only seed behind.
Drawbacks
Southern naiad can grow to nuisance levels, causing water use problems, and can be very difficult to manage.
Submersed Plants
Southern Naiad
Native southern naiad (Najas guadalupensis) will increase growth and begin to top out during summer. Reaching the surface, the plant will begin to flower and continue to bloom through fall.
Description
Southern naiad is a rooted submersed aquatic annual with branching slender stems up to 3 feet long. The opposite, dark green leaves are about an inch long and less than a ¼ inch wide, with slightly wider sloping shoulders at the base of the leaf. Male and female flowers are borne on the same plant in the leaf axils and lack sepals and petals. Male flowers have a single stamen, and female flowers have a single ovary. Fruits are green and slightly cylindrical, or banana-shaped, and less than ¼ inch in size, with square pits in loosely arranged rows.
Habitat
Southern naiad is a native plant found in ponds, lakes and streams throughout the southern United States. It causes occasional water use problems but is an excellent food source for waterfowl. Southern naiad is common in the Tennessee Valley region in lakes, reservoirs and small ponds. It often occurs mixed with muskgrass, brittle naiad and pondweeds.
Identifying Features
What It Looks Like—Like other naiads, leaves are opposing and submersed. Southern naiad leaves are typically shorter than similar-looking pondweed species.
Where to Find It—Southern naiad can be found in a variety of places. This plant can do well in areas where invasive plants like hydrilla and milfoil aren’t present. Look in shallow water areas that are void of these other species.
Max Depth—5 feet
Similar Species—Slender and sago pondweeds look similar, but their leaves alternate, whereas southern naiad leaves oppose. Brittle naiad is bushier in appearance and leaves have teeth along their edges.
Seasonal Fishing Techniques
Spring—Like most native annual plants, southern naiad will begin to emerge in late April or early May. Try a rattle-trap, big swim bait or Carolina rig that will float just above emerging plants. These plants grow in clumps, so fishing the open areas between plants is a good bet.
Summer—Southern naiad will increase growth and begin to top out during summer. Reaching the surface, the plant will begin to flower and continue to bloom through fall. The brittle nature of the plant makes punching easy.
Fall—Competition for space with invasive plants will leave southern naiad confined to shallow depths and areas void of other species. Southern naiad often hangs around slightly longer than some of the other native pondweeds and naiads. Find places where southern naiad and other species were intermixed in summer and try flipping into southern naiad growing shallower inside larger milfoil and hydrilla mats.
Winter—Southern naiad will die completely back, leaving only seed behind.
Drawbacks
Southern naiad can grow to nuisance levels, causing water use problems, and can be very difficult to manage.