whats this Called ??

by Ahmed Shehata
(Cairo,Egypt)

some common type of aquatic plant...grows on top of water....here are some photos of a lake full of it...

Drought Smart Plants says: what a pretty effect! I particularly like the ripply edges of the leaves.

The first thing I thought of when I saw this (round leaves held up off the surface of the water) was Nelumbo, the Lotus.

I wasn't sure of there being one that is rippled on the edges, but sure enough, that was sufficient as a guess to find one! Here's a link to Dave's Garden Website and a plant called Nelumbo nucifera var. caspicum, the Red Russian Lotus.

There is some mention of this species being invasive, and it has the potential of becoming a noxious weed - I think the fact that it's taken up this entire lake would indicate that.

Luckily, most of these types of invasive aquatic plants make excellent compost if they're dredged out.

Unfortunately, the very act of dredging can destroy eco-systems and habitat for fish and other wildlife. It would be nice to find a happy medium - enjoying well behaved plants that don't try and strangle the world.

Hope that helps,
Jacki