Aquatic Plant Identification
Know exactly which plants are growing in your lake and which ones need control.
Need help identifying a plant?
Send us a photo or have us come out and take a look.
Send us a photo
Email a few clear photos and we will let you know what it is.
- The whole plant, pulled out and laid flat
- A close up of the leaves and any flowers or seeds
- Your state and how much of the water it covers
Schedule an assessment
We visit your lake or pond, collect samples and identify the plants growing there, with a report you can plan from.
Why identification matters
The right plan starts with the right name
Many aquatic plants look alike, but they respond very differently to management. A native pondweed that shelters young fish can look a lot like an invasive plant that will take over a cove in a single season.
Correct identification lets us protect the beneficial plants your lake needs and focus control on the nuisance and invasive species that cause problems.
How we identify plants
Field collection and expert identification
We collect plant samples by rake toss and hand collection from around the waterbody, then identify each species by its leaves, stems, flowers and growth form. Specimens that are hard to tell apart are examined up close before they go into your report.
You receive a species list that separates native, nuisance and invasive plants, with notes on how each one grows and what it means for your management plan. Invasive plants such as Eurasian watermilfoil, curlyleaf pondweed and flowering rush are flagged right away so they can be addressed before they spread.
Tap a state to open its plant database
Aquatic plant database
Find the plants in your state
Our database covers 197 aquatic plants found in Idaho, Oregon and Wyoming, each with photos, identification tips, a growth profile and state noxious weed listings. Pick your state to see its plants with the most common first.
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Plants we identify most often
Eurasian watermilfoil
Curly leaf pondweed
Brazilian elodea
Coontail
Elodea
Sago pondweed
Leafy pondweed
American pondweed
Floating leaf pondweed
Common bladderwort
White water buttercup
Slender naiadWe work on lakes across Idaho, Oregon and western Wyoming.
Know your plants
Schedule a plant identification
Find out which plants are in your lake and which ones need control.