Habitat

Parrot feather grows in slow moving and stagnant water, in locations such as wetlands, streams, and lake shores. It grows best in water less than 2m deep but can tolerate water up to 10m. Parrot feather must root to survive, so soil substrate is necessary, and it grows best in high nutrient environments. It also sees most productive growth when there is high light penetration, and when temperatures are between 10-30C. Parrot feather tolerates salinity up to 4ppt.

Life Cycle

Outside of its native range, parrot feather reproduces exclusively vegetatively. Parrot feather is dioecious, and male plants do not occur outside of the native range, so sexual reproduction is not possible. Instead, parrot feather fragments, spreading emergent and submerged shoots and rhizomes through water flow. In the spring, once temperatures surpass 7C, new submerged shoot growth begins. This growth continues throughout the spring, reaching the emergent stage in early summer. Rhizome growth also occurs during this period, providing the plant with structure and increasing nutrient storage. Flowering can occur in spring or fall. In late fall, growth dies back to overwinter, either in a submerged phase, or all the way back to rhizomes.

Ecological Threat

Spreading vegetatively, parrot feather can infest ponds and streams, impacting water flow and outcompeting native aquatic plants. Parrot feather infestations have been shown to decrease species richness of native plants, which in turn decreases habitat suitability for animals such as invertebrates. Parrot feather infestations can also decrease dissolved oxygen levels, increasing stress on fish populations, and serve as optimal mosquito nesting sites, increasing disease risk. Additionally, parrot feather readily accumulates heavy metals, and so are a risk as a potential food source to native animals.