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Native Plant Database

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Lemna minor L.

Common duckweed

Lemnaceae (Duckweed Family)

USDA Symbol: lemi3

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

Tiny floating plants often forming a carpetlike cover on the water’s surface.

This duckweed is more widely distrubuted in Canada and the United States and better adapted to cold climates than Lesser Duckweed (L. aequinoctialis).

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf: Green
Flower:
Fruit:

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Green
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug

Distribution

USA: AK , AL , AR , AZ , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Canada: AB , BC , MB , NB , NL , NS , NT , ON , PE , QC , SK , YT
Native Distribution: Throughout North America.
Native Habitat: Ponds, quiet water.
USDA Native Status: L48(N), AK(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Wet
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Aquatic: yes
Conditions Comments: When in dense colonies, can stop the proliferation of mosquito larvae by creating a barrier when they want to breathe at the surface.Very fast growth rate.

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Food for ducks, tadpoles, fish and beavers. (Fleurbec)
Attracts: Birds
Deer Resistant: No

Bibliography

Bibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Lemna minor in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Lemna minor in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Lemna minor

Metadata

Record Modified: 2007-01-01
Research By: TWC Staff

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