Anacharis canadensis

RHS Plant Profile
Canadian pondweed

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Canadian pondweed Dorling Kindersley Ltd

Other common names

American waterweed, Canadian waterweed, choke pondweed, ditch moss, little snakeweed, water thyme

Synonyms

Anacharis alsinastrum, Anacharis canadensis, Anacharis occidentalis

Aquatic
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This plant is listed as an invasive non-native species in the UK – see Cultivation section for details. A submerged aquatic perennial forming long, branched stems clothed with dense whorls of close-set, recurved, dark green leaves

Position

Full sun

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
0.5-1 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Moisture
Poorly–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H5

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Hydrocharitaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Semi evergreen
Habit
Submerged, Floating
Genus
Elodea are submerged, aquatic perennials with erect, spreading stems and bright green leaves borne in whorls of three. Tiny, solitary flowers are produced in the leaf axils.
Name Status
Synonym
Plant Range
N America

How to Grow

Cultivation

This plant is listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act (1981) and the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 as an invasive non-native species. It is an offence to plant or cause it to grow in the wild in the UK. See RHS advice on invasive non-native species for further information

Propagation

See cultivation notes

Pests

See cultivation notes

Diseases

See cultivation notes