Giant Salvinia Research
Introduction
Salvinia molesta Mitchell, a floating invasive aquatic plant, is one of the top ten worst invasive aquatic weeds in the world. It was discovered in the lower Pascagoula River in 2005 and evidence suggests that this species is spreading along the northern Gulf of Mexico. These plants exhibit rapid growth rates and rapid nutrient uptake rates, allowing them to out compete other plants in similar habitats. Distributional observations suggest that S. molesta is able to survive in salinities of up to 7 ppt in the lower Pascagoula River. This higher salinity tolerance has been reported in the past, and has implications for the use of the biological control agent, the weevil Cyrtobagous salviniae.
How to identify S. molesta
There are three species of Salvinia in the United States. They all look very similar. Only S. molesta is considered to be harmful. You should seek the help of an expert to determine if what you see is S. molesta. You can also use this handy photo guide:
A research project of the Center for Plant Restoration and Coastal Plant Research - https://sites.google.com/site/coastalplantrestoration/