Ipomoea aquatica

Common Name: water-spinach

Family: Convolvulaceae

Common Synonyms: none

USDA Hardiness Zone: 7a - 11

Growth Habit: Herbaceous aquatic vine

Origin: Central to south China

FISC Category: 1

FDACS Listed Noxious Weed: Yes

Introduction Date: pre-1950

IFAS Assessment:

• North: PROHIBITED
• Central: PROHIBITED
• South: PROHIBITED

Description

Herbaceous, aquatic vine with milky sap. Stalked leaves alternate, arrowhead shaped. Showy tubular flowers, white, to 5 cm. Fruit an oval woody capsule, 1 cm wide with 1-4 grayish seeds.

Habitat

Shallow water in ponds, lakes and rivers

Comments

Cultivated for edible greens. Forms dense floating mats that shade out submersed plants. Federal Noxious Weed.

Control Methods

• Manual:
• Chemical: Foliar (2,4-D or 2.4.5-T applied at 1000 ppmw, Misra and Das)
• Biological: NA

Control Notes

**Follow herbicide labels: Only herbicides registered for application in water by EPA and FDACS may be applied to weeds growing in or near water.

References

Dave's Garden. 2013. PlantFiles: Chinese water spinach, swamp cabbage, swamp morning glory, Ipomoea aquatica. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1263/. Accessed on December 10, 2013.

IFAS, Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. 2013. Water spinach. http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/201. Accessed on December 10, 2013.

ISSG. 2013. Global Invasive Species Database: Ipomoea aquatica. http://www.issg.org/database/species/management_info.asp?si=477&fr=1&sts=tss&lang=EN. Accessed on December 3, 2013.

Langeland, K.A., H.M. Cherry, C.M. McCormick, K.C. Burks. 2008. Identification and Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas-Second Edition. IFAS Publication SP 257. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.