Tiny Duckweed is an aquatic, free floating, hydroannual or herbaceous perennial in the arum family found in still or slowly moving waters of swamps, ponds or lakes. It is native, found mainly in the coastal plains of North Carolina. Tiny Duckweed is a small floating plant with flattened leaf-like stems (fronds) that produce one root per frond. It is often found singly or in groups of 3 to 5. The plant rarely flowers, but will form an expanding 1/4 inch mat of foliage on still water. The genus name is Greek for a water weed. Tiny Duckweed grows in nutrient-rich, still waters in full sun to full shade and does best in the cool weather of spring or autumn. In frost-free climates, it can be invasive. To plant, scatter small bunches of Tiny Duckweed on the water surface after last frost. It will spread quickly in cool conditions. If the plant's watery home should recede, it can grow on wet mud. Plants develop buds (called turions) in autumn that sink to the bottom as winter approaches. The buds rise in spring after water temperatures warm up. Tiny Duckweed is a useful addition to water gardens and ponds to provide an attractive foliage cover and discourages algae growth. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseses or insect pests. Can become invasive.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil drainage
Frequent Standing Water | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Creeping; Dense; Spreading
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Obovate; Ovate
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The foliage is not true leaves or stems, rather it is a flattened green frond (to an 1/8 of an inch long) with a single downward-trailing root. Fronds are more or less convex on both sides with one distinct papule at the node and a few distinct papules above the node.
Flower color
Green
Flower form
Insignificant; Spadix
Flower detail
The inflorescence consists of two male flowers and one female flower, enclosed in a spathe-like sac. When it blooms, which is rare, it is from June to September.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Small utricle that opens on one side without wings. Displays from August to October
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern Canada and Eastern and Central United States
Distribution
Introduced into France, India, Iran, and Korea.
Wildlife value
Food source for ducks and other waterfowl). Fish also consume the plants and can be used to control the spread of the plant in ornamental ponds.
Attracts
Frogs; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Edibility
Food source for muskrats, beaver, birds, and frogs.