Parrot feather

Care at a glance

Parrot feather has finely divided whorls of leaves that call feathers to mind and grows both under and above water; the emergent shoots are stiffer and coated in a blue-green bloom. In an aquarium or pond it quickly forms dense mats.

Important: in the European Union this species is on the list of invasive alien species, which makes sale, possession and distribution prohibited. Outside its native range it smothers ditches and banks; never release it into the wild.

Related species

• Water hyacinth (floating)Eichhornia crassipes
• Weeping mossVesicularia ferriei
• Pygmy chain swordHelanthium tenellum
• Red rotala (macrandra)Rotala macrandra
• Crinum calamistratumCrinum calamistratum
• Micro swordLilaeopsis brasiliensis