51 Duckweed Facts: Did You Know This About The Plant?

Have you ever looked at a pond and observed that its entire surface is light green?

This may not be due to the growth of algae or waste but because of the presence of an aquatic plant known as duckweed. These plants are tiny and oval-shaped and float on the water's surface.

This aquatic plant mainly grows in warm, moist, and wet habitats worldwide. The duckweed plant can sprout either in shade or direct sunlight and is known to grow rapidly.

The water's surface contains huge quantities of nutrients, such as phosphorus or nitrogen, which help duckweed thrive. This aquatic plant can also help purify water by keeping algae under control. They can also help separate waste and sewage water into biomass and fresh water.

Interested in learning more about common duckweed growth conditions, uses, and characteristics? We've collected fun facts about these plants, which you will love!

Facts About Duckweed

Some facts about the duckweed plant include:

• They are common aquatic plants. They sprout on the water's surface and float freely in water as well.
• Duckweed doesn't have stems, leaves, and roots. However, some species of duckweed have been observed to grow roots.
• They are tiny plants and are among the smallest known flowering plants to exist.
• There are 38 species of this plant, and they belong to a family called Lemnaceae. Some of them are unable to bear flowers.
• Some types of duckweed don't have a circulatory system.
• They are usually found in swamps and ponds.
• However, they can sometimes grow in streams that move slowly.
• Duckweed grows rapidly and can reach full maturity in 2-3 days. They also grow much more during nighttime than at daytime.
• Ducks enjoy eating duckweed, which is how the duckweed gets its name. Ducks also help spread the growth of duckweed to different places as the plant gets stuck in its feathers.
• While the duckweed floats on bodies of water, its' roots go deep into the water to soak in nutrients and filter the flowing water surface in the process.
• Duckweed is known by different names, such as water lenses, water lentils, and bay roots.

Duckweed Characteristics

Duckweed has some characteristics which make it different from other plants. These are:

• This plant has at least 1-3 green leaves. You may observe some roots attached to these leaves, which look like fibrous strands of hair.
• There are 38 species of duckweed which can be divided into four categories, namely Lemna, Spirodela, Wolffia, and Wolffiella.
• Lemna, or common duckweed, is smaller than Spirodela, or giant duckweed. The smallest of all the duckweed species is Watermeal.
• Duckweed plants have a structure like a plate called a thalloid, which helps them float on the water's surface.
• They usually grow flowers; however, the flowers do not take part in reproduction, as duckweed reproduces asexually. They reproduce using fronds which are the main part of their leaf. These fronds grow roots that grow downwards to soak nutrients from the water.
• These fronds grow up into new buds over time which detaches into new fronds. This process is known as vegetative propagation, which grows off other plants and doesn't use flowers or seeds.
• They also produce a fruit called the utricle. Their seed is produced in a sac that contains air which helps them float.
• They prefer warm climates during the reproduction process.
• The Wolffia duckweed produces a flower that is only 0.013 in (0.3mm), making them the smallest flower ever.
• It was observed that duckweed could help remove 99% of the harmful nutrients and waste from bodies of water. Thus, it can be used for treating natural water.
• They are high protein supplements (35%) and contain essential amino acids. Thus fresh duckweed is fed to fish for protein.
• These plants can be used to produce biofuel, which will help with the energy requirements of the people.
• This duckweed mixes with the water as it grows, which makes it appear green in color and gives it a slimy texture.

Duckweed's Disadvantages

While duckweed has some advantages, it has some disadvantages as well. They are:

• Duckweed is known to multiply so fast that it can cover the water's surface in no time. Due to this, all other plants in them are deprived of sunlight which in turn deprives them of oxygen. Since the oxygen decreases, the species in the water suffocate and die in the end.
• Thus, duckweed growth needs to be controlled to support proper aqua ecosystem growth. Either you can remove them by yourself or cut off their nutrient flow, effectively killing them.
• The nutrients from the pond can be removed by using bubble aeration. Bubble aeration is used to give rise to bubbles of air. These bubbles mix with wastewater, using aerobic bacteria to remove waste like duckweed.
• Duckweed can also be controlled with chemicals such as pesticides. However, using herbicides is of no use for duckweed.
• In fact, the use of herbicides increases nutrients in the water, which makes duckweed even stronger. Unless this nutrient growth is controlled, their growth cannot be stopped.
• When removing duckweed manually, be sure to remove them at regular intervals to avoid any overgrowth in the water due to its rapid growth.

Duckweed's Habitat

• Duckweed is found in groups in water that is high in nutrients, such as lakes and ponds.
• They usually prefer still water and not water that moves rapidly. Hence are found in stagnant water bodies and not bodies like flow, like rivers.
• Duckweed can be used to control water evaporation, keeping water cooler. It grows in hot as well as wet environments across the world.
• Duckweed is found growing either in the presence of direct sunlight or in full shade and can provide habitats for pond species like bullfrogs and other aqueous plants.
• Waterfowl like ducks and geese are known to feed on waterfowl; however, people in southeast Asia, such as Thailand, consider them a delicacy.
• They can even be placed in freshwater aquariums to keep the water clean. However, their growth must be managed to not suffocate the species living in it.
• It can be used to treat wastewater like sewage water for odor control and to remove toxins. It can also stop the breeding of mosquitoes and the harmful algae growth that can hinder the growth of aquatic wildlife.