New invasive aquatic plant
Report if you see this plant in area ponds
Please help us to make two-horned trapa observations this season. This aquatic annual has infested 78 ponds in Northern Virginia. In 2022, new infestations were found in Richmond, VA and Greenbelt, MD. It is not found elsewhere in North America. By working together to actively seek out trapa populations, we can prevent this plant from infesting the Chesapeake Bay where it would be devastating to shallow water habitats, and would hinder many forms of recreation and commerce.
Plants in the trapa genus are easy to recognize because of their distinctive, four-sided leaves, two sides are toothed and two are straight. These leaves are arranged in a geometrically compact, floating rosette.
Plants spread quickly between ponds by waterfowl, and could quickly invade local rivers. Reporting it early means we can remove it before it spreads.
Report it!
If you do find trapa, note the location, enter into iNaturalist if you use the app, and snap photos of a rosette (with a flower if possible), and seed pods if present. Step back and take a photo of the context! Include notes about the extent of the infestation, and the address.
If you do not have the INaturalist app, you can report it to the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection by emailing AskDEP@MontgomeryCountyMD.org For other locations, check with local parks or environmental agencies on how to report it.