Elodea canadensis
Canadian Pondweed

Uses

Edible uses

There are no edible uses listed for Elodea canadensis.

Material uses

There are no material uses listed for Elodea canadensis.

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

An infusion of the plant has been used as a strong emetic^[1].

There are no medicinal uses listed for Elodea canadensis.

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Ecological Functions

Biogenic Decalcifier/Pioneer Species

E. canadensis is one of a handful of aquatic plant species uniquely suited to life in extremely alkaline water^[2]. In environments where CO2 saturation in the water is poor but calcium carbonate (limestone) is prevalent, this species will utilize CaCO3 as a carbon source^[2]. With enough growth in a relatively closed environment, the plant can actually deplete the available calcium carbonate (and thus reduce the carbonate hardness of the water), a process known as biogenic decalcification^[2]. By reducing alkalinity and hardness, E. canadensis can act as a pioneer species in lime-rich ponds, altering water parameters to be more suitable to other aquatic flora less tolerant of extreme alkalinity.

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Fish

Newly hatched and juvenile fish of numerous species take shelter in dense masses of E. canadensis, where larger aquatic predators cannot easily navigate.

Crayfish

Much like with small fish, crayfish will hide in thick plantings of E. canadensis, where they both avoid larger predators and scavenge the detritus that tends to get caught in the dense foliage.

Propagation

Seed - seldom produced in Britain, if it is obtained it should not be allowed to dry out and is best sown immediately in water.

Extremely simple to propagate via cuttings. Can be anchored in the substrate of a pond or left to float freely. Division can be carried out at almost any time in the growing season. Growth and vegetative propagation is rampant in favorable conditions.

Seed

Rooted cuttings

Cultivation

A floating, submerged plant, growing well in slowly-moving water and also succeeding in ponds^[1]. Plants grow more vigorously when able to root into the mud of the pond^[3]. This species, when first introduced into British waterways in the mid nineteenth century, spread rapidly to become a great peat, blocking many waterways^[4]. It then seemed to lose its vigour and is now widespread but seldom abundant^[4]. Most of the plants grown in Britain are a female clone^[4]. Plants perennate by means of overwintering buds that sink to the bottom of the pond in the autumn and then commence growing in the spring.

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Elodea canadensis. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Elodea canadensis.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

References

? ^1.0^1.1^1.2 Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. ISBN 0-88192-453-9 (32202/01/01)
? ^2.0^2.1^2.2 Amanda Wenger "The Planted Tank: Planting from the bottom up: substrate" (TFH Magazine Jan 2014 Issue) TFH Publications (2014/01/01)
? ^3.0^3.1 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (32202/01/01)
? ^4.0^4.1^4.2^4.3 Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press (32202/01/01)

"image:elodeacanadensisinflorescence.JPG|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

[PFAFimport-257-1] ? ^1.0^1.1^1.2 Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. ISBN 0-88192-453-9 (32202/01/01)

[TFHJan2014-2] ? ^2.0^2.1^2.2 Amanda Wenger "The Planted Tank: Planting from the bottom up: substrate" (TFH Magazine Jan 2014 Issue) TFH Publications (2014/01/01)

[PFAFimport-200-3] ? ^3.0^3.1 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (32202/01/01)

[PFAFimport-17-4] ? ^4.0^4.1^4.2^4.3 Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press (32202/01/01)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

Article is incomplete	False +
Article requires citations	False +
Article requires cleanup	False +
Belongs to family	Hydrocharitaceae +
Belongs to genus	Elodea +
Functions as	Biogenic Decalcifier/Pioneer Species +
Has binomial name	Elodea canadensis +
Has common name	Canadian Pondweed +
Has drought tolerance	Intolerant +
Has fertility type	Self sterile +
Has flowers of colour	white +
Has flowers of type	Dioecious +
Has growth rate	Vigorous +
Has hardiness zone	2 +
Has image	Elodeacanadensisinflorescence.JPG +
Has lifecycle type	Perennial +
Has primary image	elodeacanadensisinflorescence.JPG +
Has search name	elodea canadensis + and canadian pondweed +
Has seed requiring scarification	False +
Has seed requiring stratification	False +
Has shade tolerance	Partial shade +
Has soil ph preference	Acid +, Neutral +, Alkaline + and Very alkaline +
Has soil texture preference	Sandy +, Loamy + and Clay +
Has soil water retention preference	Wet +
Has sun preference	Full sun +
Has taxonomic rank	Species +
Has taxonomy name	Elodea canadensis +
Has water requirements	aquatic +
Is grown from	Seed + and Cutting +
Is herbaceous or woody	Herbaceous +
Is taxonomy type	Species +
PFAF cultivation notes migrated	Yes +
PFAF edible use notes migrated	Yes +
PFAF material use notes migrated	Yes +
PFAF medicinal use notes migrated	No +
PFAF propagation notes migrated	No +
PFAF toxicity notes migrated	Yes +
Provides shelter for	Fish + and Crayfish +
Tolerates air pollution	False +
Tolerates maritime exposure	False +
Tolerates nutritionally poor soil	False +
Tolerates wind	False +