![]() ![]() The roots of the yellow floating hearts are attached to the waterbed’s floor and are adventitious in nature, meaning they can grow after injury to roots or to main stem, branch, or other tissues (Pallardy, 2008). Leaves are green to yellow green in colour above the water and are often a purple colour on their underside (CABI). The leaves of a yellow floating heart plant may be 3-15cm in diameter and sit atop long stalks attached to underwater rhizomes (CABI). Each peduncle (or stalk) that rises a few inches above the surface of the water can grow between two to five flowers and features five uniquely fringed bright yellow petals ranging from 3-4 cm in diameter (Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International, CABI). There is currently no federal legislation that regulates yellow floating heart distribution in Canada.Īs its namesake suggests, the yellow floating heart has round, floating yellow flowers that may look similar to heart shapes. Recreational activities such as swimming or boating can be impeded with the invasion of the yellow floating heart because of the plant’s ability to overwhelm waterways in the form of dense mats. Yellow floating heart is indigenous to parts of Europe and Asia and its visual appeal proliferated its spread through aquaculture in North America. Yellow floating heart prefers slow moving rivers, lakes, and reservoirs this versatility has aided in its spread to regions in various Canadian provinces including Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta ( 2019) and British Columbia (Darbyshire & Francis, 2008). Initially introduced as an ornamental plant in Canada and the United States, yellow floating heart is an invasive aquatic plant that can produce dense mats of leaves in the form of a floating canopy, which results in reduced flow, reduced light penetration, lower oxygen levels, and altered nutrient cycling of waterways. The bottom-rooted, aquatic perennial with floating heart-shaped yellow leaves can place significant pressures on the ecosystems that it invades by crowding out indigenous plants and altering the chemical composition of the water. The name of the yellow floating heart is deceivingly charming. ![]()
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