Any Texans here with water hyacinth?

[Belfrybat]

My water garden is almost finished and I'm beginning to purchase plants for it. I really want some water hyacinth, but growers cannot ship them into Texas since they are an invasive plant in the eastern part of the State. Not here-- we are too dry. So, does anyone living in Texas have any in your pond you'd be willing to sell? I'd be most grateful.

[Ken Scharabok]

And very illegal if caught. As I remember the story some woman imported a plant or two for her backyard fish pool. It escaped and now covers many bodies of water completely. They have tried harvesting it as fertilizer and animal feed, neither of which was commercially viable even if the plants are free. As far as I know, the only thing to eat them are manatees.

A guy I knew in WI visited with family in Germany. They had a particular potato he likely very much, so he smuggled some back to the U.S. in his coat pocket. What if it caused a potato blight here? I don't know if it still is, but at one time potatoes were big business in northern WI.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Lake Texanna has water hyacinth REALLY bad. Just saying.

[Belfrybat]

Originally Posted by Ken Scharabok

And very illegal if caught. As I remember the story some woman imported a plant or two for her backyard fish pool.

I'm not asking for anything illegal. That is why the title is TEXANS.... Not trying to get someone to illegally send the plants across State lines.
I know they are invasive in East Texas -- I'm in dry West Texas.

[Paquebot]

You can also not transport it legally within Texas. We looked into all angles of that stuff on another forum recently. It does make great fertilizer if you can get enough of it.

Martin

[Esteban29304]

I had those in a small backyard pond & fountain years ago. They were not illegal to have back then. Now, they are banned just about everywhere. They are invasive & multiply so quickly clogging up pumps 7 waterways. The one good thing about controlling them in Florida is that every year the manatees migrate in & eat all of them !

[ronbre]

i just ordered mine from www.trickers.com along with dozens of other plants for my pond

[Belfrybat]

Originally Posted by ronbre

i just ordered mine from www.trickers.com along with dozens of other plants for my pond

Err- when I went to that website, I was presented with a UK shoe site. Anyway, I bet you are not in Texas. After reading Martin's response I did some checking and he's right. Even if I found some in the wild, I'd be breaking the law to transport them and grow them in my own water garden. Pity since in small numbers they make a lovely addition to a water garden. I never had a problem with them multiplying too much thanks to the Koi.
Ah well, back to the drawing board.