List of Minnesota aquatic plants facts for kids

Aquatic plants are amazing green helpers that live in the water! In Minnesota, a state famous for its thousands of lakes and many rivers, these special plants play a super important role. They are found in all kinds of watery places, from shallow ponds to deep lakes and flowing streams.

Discovering Minnesota's Water Plants

Aquatic plants are simply plants that have adapted to live in water. They are sometimes called "macrophytes," which just means "big plants" that you can see without a microscope, unlike tiny algae. These plants are like the lungs of our lakes and rivers, helping to keep the water clean and healthy. They also provide food and shelter for many different animals, from tiny insects to fish and birds.

Different Kinds of Water Plants

Aquatic plants come in many shapes and sizes, and they grow in different ways depending on how they interact with the water. Scientists usually group them into a few main types based on where their leaves and stems are found in the water.

Tiny Water Wonders: Algae

Algae are very simple, plant-like organisms. Some are so small you need a microscope to see them, while others can form large mats or strands that you can easily spot. They are super important because they are often the base of the food chain, meaning many small water creatures eat them.

• Chara: This is a type of large algae that often looks like a submerged plant. It's sometimes called "muskgrass" because it can have a musky smell.
• Filamentous algae: These are long, hair-like strands of algae that can form green mats on the water's surface or on other plants.
• Phytoplankton: These are microscopic algae that float freely in the water. They are a huge food source for tiny animals in the water.
• Stonewort: Similar to Chara, stoneworts are a group of large, complex algae that grow attached to the bottom of lakes and ponds.

Plants That Stand Tall: Emergent Plants

Emergent plants are those that have their roots in the water or wet soil, but their stems and most of their leaves stand up out of the water into the air. Think of them as plants that like to keep their feet wet but their heads dry!

• Bulrushes: These tall, grass-like plants often grow in dense groups along the edges of lakes and wetlands. They provide great hiding spots for birds and small animals.
• Cattails: Easily recognized by their brown, sausage-shaped flower heads, cattails are very common in shallow waters and marshes.
• Flowering rush: This plant is an invasive aquatic plant in Minnesota. It means it's not native to the area and can grow very quickly, pushing out native plants and harming the ecosystem.
• Purple loosestrife: Another invasive aquatic plant, purple loosestrife has beautiful purple flowers but can take over wetlands, reducing the habitat for native wildlife.
• Wild rice: This is a very important native plant in Minnesota, especially for wildlife and for people. It's actually a type of grass that produces edible grains, and it's a traditional food source for many Native American communities.

Plants That Float on Top: Floating-Leaf Plants

Floating-leaf plants have their roots anchored in the bottom of the lake or pond, but their leaves float on the surface of the water. They create shady spots and can be very beautiful.

• Duckweed and watermeal: These are some of the smallest flowering plants on Earth! They are tiny, free-floating plants that can cover the surface of calm waters like a green carpet.
• Spatterdock: Also known as yellow pond lily, this plant has large, heart-shaped leaves that float on the surface and bright yellow flowers that stick up slightly.
• Swamp smartweed: This plant has oval-shaped leaves that float on the water and produces small pink or white flowers on spikes above the surface.
• Watershield: Watershield has oval, shield-shaped leaves that float. Its stems and the undersides of its leaves are often covered in a jelly-like coating.
• White water lily: These iconic plants have large, round floating leaves and beautiful, fragrant white flowers that open in the sunshine.
• Yellow lotus: Similar to water lilies, the yellow lotus has very large, round floating leaves and striking yellow flowers that rise above the water.

Plants That Live Underwater: Submerged Plants

Submerged plants live entirely underwater, though some might have flowers that reach the surface. They are often rooted in the bottom and provide important oxygen and habitat for fish and other aquatic animals.

• Broad-leaf pondweeds: There are many types of pondweeds, and the broad-leaf varieties have wider leaves that grow completely underwater.
• Bushy pondweeds and naiads: These are delicate, branching plants with very narrow leaves that grow in dense patches underwater.
• Canada waterweed: A very common submerged plant, Canada waterweed has small, bright green leaves arranged in whorls along its stem. It's an important oxygen producer.
• Coontail: This plant gets its name because its leaves are densely packed at the tips of its branches, looking a bit like a raccoon's tail. It often floats freely and is not rooted.
• Curly-leaf pondweed: This is an invasive aquatic plant in Minnesota. It has distinctive reddish-brown, wavy, lasagna-like leaves and can grow very early in the spring, outcompeting native plants.
• Eurasian watermilfoil: Another invasive aquatic plant, Eurasian watermilfoil has feathery leaves arranged in whorls around the stem. It can form thick mats that make boating and swimming difficult.
• Narrow-leaf pondweeds: Unlike their broad-leaf cousins, these pondweeds have very thin, grass-like leaves.
• Northern watermilfoil: This is a native milfoil species, similar in appearance to Eurasian watermilfoil but less aggressive. It's an important part of healthy lake ecosystems.
• Wild celery: Also known as tape grass, wild celery has long, ribbon-like leaves that grow from the bottom of the lake. It's a favorite food for ducks and other waterfowl.