Elodea nuttallii
Nuttall's waterweed, Nuttall's Waterweed
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Family: Hydrocharitaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Elodea nuttallii (Nuttall's waterweed) is a native California herb in the Hydrocharitaceae family, recognized by narrow acute leaves and short-hairy seeds.
Nuttall's waterweed is a native perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, Sierra Nevada, Sacramento Valley, San Bernardino Mountains, and Great Basin in shallow water habitats including streams, lakes, and ponds at elevations of 500 to 2,800 meters. Flowering from July to August, this aquatic plant produces small, inconspicuous white flowers. Growing with slender, branching stems submerged in water, it forms dense underwater vegetation. Its leaves are distinctive, arranged in whorls of three along the stem, with narrow linear blades 6 to 13 millimeters long and less than 2 millimeters wide, appearing delicate and flaccid. The plant produces short soft-hairy seeds that aid in its underwater dispersal.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; distinguished by narrow acute leaves and short-hairy seeds
Habitat and range
Habitat: Shallow water, streams, lakes, ponds
Elevation: 500-2800 m
Outside California: to Washington, central United States, naturalized in Europe
Bloom period
Elodea nuttallii blooms Jul-Aug.
How to tell it apart
vs Myriophyllum: Elodea has simple undivided leaves; Myriophyllum leaves are feathery and divided into thread-like segments.; vs Hydrilla: Elodea has smooth leaf midribs; Hydrilla midribs have tiny prickles underneath.; vs Ceratophyllum: Elodea has simple leaves; Ceratophyllum leaves fork repeatedly into stiff thread-like divisions.; vs Najas: Elodea has 2-7 leaves per node depending on position; Najas has opposite or whorled leaves throughout.; vs Egeria: Elodea leaves are tiny (under 1.5 cm); Egeria leaves are much larger (1.2-4 cm long).
Frequently asked questions
Is Elodea nuttallii native to California?
Yes. Elodea nuttallii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Elodea nuttallii bloom?
Elodea nuttallii blooms Jul-Aug.
What plant family does Elodea nuttallii belong to?
Elodea nuttallii is in the Hydrocharitaceae family, genus Elodea.
What habitat does Elodea nuttallii grow in?
Elodea nuttallii grows in Shallow water, streams, lakes, ponds.
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.