Water Gardeners and Aquarium Owners

In the State of Maine it is now illegal to sell, propagate, or introduce to Maine waters these eleven invasive aquatic plants. These plants are aggressive growers. If they are introduced into our freshwaters they will become a serious nuisance.

Currently, six of these plants have been found in Maine waterbodies -- Variable-leaf Milfoil, Hydrilla, Curly-leaved Pondweed, Eurasian Milfoil, Najas minor and European Frog's-bit.

There are many alternate names for these invasive plants! Below is a list of Maine's illegal aquatic plants organized by scientific name, common name and known pseudonyms. Verify the scientific name when purchasing aquatic plants.

Illegal for Sale in Maine

(Scientific Name - Genus & Species - followed by common names and aliases)

• Cabomba caroliniana (Fanwort, Carolina Fanwort)
• Egeria densa (Brazilian Elodea)
  • Anacharis
  • Anacharis densa
  • Anacharis canadensis gigantea
  • Elodea
  • Elodea densa
  • Elodea canadensis gigantea
  • Brazilian Waterweed
  • Common Waterweed
  • Leavy Elodea
• Hydrilla verticillata (Hydrilla, Water Thyme)
• Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (Frog's-bit, European Frog's-bit)
• Myriophyllum aquaticum (Parrot Feather)
  • Myriophyllum aquatica
  • Myriophyllum proserpinacoides
  • Brazilian Watermilfoil
• Myriophyllum heterophyllum (Variable-leaf Watermilfoil)
  • Myriophyllum spp.
  • Myriophyllum pinnatum
  • Two-leaf Watermilfoil
• Myrophyllum spicatum (Eurasian Watermilfoil)
  • Myriophyllum spp.
  • Spiked Watermilfoil
• Najas minor (European Naiad, Brittle Water-nymph)
• Nymphoides peltata (Yellow Floating Heart)
• Potamogeton crispus (Curly-leaf Pondweed)
• Trapa natans (Water Chestnut)