Florida Aquatic Plants: Common Natives
“Lily Pads”
The term “Lily Pad” is widely used to describe a variety of aquatic plants whose leaves often appear floating on the water’s surface, but may also be emersed or submerged. Common Lily Pads native to Florida include the Fragrant Water Lily (Nymphaea odorata), Spatterdock/Cow Lily (Nuphar adventa), Banana Lily (Nymphoides aquatica), and Yellow Water Lily (Nymphaea mexicana).
Additional species with similar floating leaves include Watershield (Brasenia schreberi), Little Floating Heart (Nymphoides cordata), and American Lotus (Nelumbo Lutea).
Cattails
Cattails or Cat-tails (Genus: Typha)
Golden Canna
Canna Flaccida
Duck Potato
Sagittaria Lancifolia
Spikerush
Genus: Eleocharis
Water Pennywort
Hydrocotyle Species
Broadleaf Arrowhead
Sagittaria Latifolia (also known as Common Arrowhead)
Fire Flag | Alligator Flag
Thalia geniculata