Cabomba caroliniana
Carolina fanwort
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Family: Cabombaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Cabomba caroliniana (Carolina fanwort) is a non-native California herb in the Cabombaceae family, recognized by Eastern North American aquatic plant recently introduced to California's Central Valley.
Carolina fanwort is a naturalized aquatic perennial found in the San Joaquin Valley in slow streams and ponds at sea level. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces white or cream-colored flowers with a yellow nectary base, creating delicate underwater blooms. Growing fully submersed with distinctive fan-shaped leaves, it forms intricate underwater vegetation with leaf blades 10 to 40 millimeters long and up to 60 millimeters wide. Its leaves vary between submersed and occasionally floating types, with submersed leaves being broadly deltate to kidney-shaped and floating leaves narrow and linear. The fruit is small, measuring 4 to 7 millimeters in length.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Eastern North American aquatic plant recently introduced to California's Central Valley
Habitat and range
Habitat: Ponds, slow streams
Elevation: 0 m
Outside California: Oregon, native to eastern United States (except northern part of range), southern South America
Bloom period
Cabomba caroliniana blooms May-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Bacopa: Cabomba has feathery, finely-divided underwater leaves; Bacopa has simple, undivided leaves on upright stems.; vs Brasenia: Cabomba has feathery underwater leaves; Brasenia has simple oval floating leaves with slimy coating.; vs Marsilea: Cabomba has feathery underwater leaves arranged in pairs; Marsilea has four-leaflet clover-like leaves on individual stalks.; vs Myriophyllum: Cabomba leaves fork repeatedly like a delta; Myriophyllum leaves have segments arranged along a central spine like a feather.; vs Ranunculus: Cabomba has opposite pairs of finely-divided underwater leaves; aquatic Ranunculus has alternating deeply-lobed leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cabomba caroliniana native to California?
No. Cabomba caroliniana is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Cabomba caroliniana bloom?
Cabomba caroliniana blooms May-Sep.
What plant family does Cabomba caroliniana belong to?
Cabomba caroliniana is in the Cabombaceae family, genus Cabomba.
What habitat does Cabomba caroliniana grow in?
Cabomba caroliniana grows in Ponds, slow streams.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.