People who live in the south must be familiar with water hyacinth. In the past, water hyacinth could be found everywhere in rural ponds, rivers, marshes and rice paddies. Farmers raising pigs or ducks would use the leaves of water hyacinth as feed and the roots would be used for composting. However, water hyacinth, once multiplied, is extremely harmful. Even if it is called "environmental protection fighter", in the hearts of the Chinese people is like a "nightmare", infamous.

Water hyacinth, a variety of names, known as phoebe, other common name phoebe, water lily, phoebe, etc.. It is an exotic species from the Amazon Basin of South America and is a perennial aquatic plant. Water hyacinth has smooth leaves, hollow petioles, and gourd-like air sacs in the lower part. The roots are well-developed and the flowers are very bright and lavender. In fact, at the beginning, water hyacinth won the attention of human beings with its exquisite and delicate appearance. 1844, water hyacinth was first regarded as an ornamental plant at the U.S. Exposition, and it was called "a crown of lilacs to beautify the world". Soon, water hyacinth spread to the world.

Among all aquatic plants, water hyacinth has the most outstanding ability to purify water and absorb pollution, and was once called the "environment fighter". In the process of growth, the developed root system of water hyacinth can not only absorb organic pollutants in the water, but also purify the water contaminated by heavy metals, rare earth elements and other toxic and harmful substances. 1901, the water hyacinth as an ornamental plant introduced into China. 50's, people found that the water hyacinth is not only a green fertilizer plants, but also as livestock and poultry feed. Later it was introduced to all provinces and called for active planting. However, who would have thought that water hyacinth reproduction ability is so strong, as long as there is water can basically survive, water hyacinth once the typhoon or high tide will spread to other places.

While it can be used as livestock feed, many farmers find that pigs don't like it much; it is said to be used as organic fertilizer, farmers are reluctant to use it because it is too difficult to rot... Later, with the emergence of complementary feed, water hyacinth will not get people's favor. As an "alien population", water hyacinth grows freely everywhere. Water hyacinth, there are two ways of reproduction: sexual reproduction and asexual reproduction, but usually asexual reproduction is dominant. Water hyacinth grows extremely fast at 25-35 degrees Celsius, and is dormant at 7-10 degrees Celsius, so water hyacinth begins to sprout in April-May each year, and wilts quickly after frost at the end of the year.

Under the right conditions, water hyacinth plantlets, 5-6 days can double the growth area, 90 days or so of the growth period can be fertile 250,000 plants. Amazing reproduction speed, coupled with no natural enemies, there is water is simply its "growth paradise", out of control!

The following are some typical cases of water hyacinth disaster in China:

Case 1:

In the 1980s, Yunnan Dianchi mountain water hyacinth flooding, the entire sea of grass is covered by dense water hyacinth, not only affecting the shipping, but also almost destroyed the ecological balance of the Dianchi. Today, the water hyacinth many Kunming people still have palpitations, when the disaster brought to Dianchi still vividly.

Case 2:

Fujian Minjiang River Basin water hyacinth disaster, an area of 16,000 square kilometers, plagued the local people for many years, the passage of the ship is blocked, aquaculture losses. From 2003, the water hyacinth "war of annihilation" began. However, in 2007, 2009 and 2011, the water hyacinth floods still occur in the Minjiang River basin one after another.

Case 3:

In 2007, water hyacinth broke out in the Three Gorges reservoir area and occupied the water surface, seriously affecting the ecological balance of the Three Gorges reservoir area and shipping. In Guangdong, Zhejiang, Shanghai and Anhui, water hyacinth has flooded some rivers due to the favorable climate, and the relevant departments spend a lot of financial and human resources to control it every year. In years of severe flooding, the cost of water hyacinth treatment in China is at least 100 million yuan.

Water hyacinth, initially known as the "lilac corolla to beautify the world", "environmental protection fighter", "green fertilizer plant", after the flood, the reputation of a fall, infamous! After the flood, the reputation of water hyacinth was in ruins and it was notorious. Today, water hyacinth is known as the "ecological killer", is listed as one of the world's top ten "pest grass", also shortlisted as one of China's most dangerous 100 invasive species. So, water hyacinth, how much harm?

Water hyacinth crazy growth, will soon cover the entire river, like the surface of the "green carpet", so that other aquatic animals and plants living underwater suffer. Water hyacinth blocking sunlight, plants in the water can not photosynthesize, the food chain of animals in the water is destroyed, thus affecting the ecological balance of the waters in which they live. As we mentioned earlier, water hyacinth has an outstanding ability to absorb pollutants, but it has a drawback, that is, water hyacinth itself cannot degrade all pollutants. If water hyacinth is not cleaned up in time during the wilting period, a large number of rhizomes will rot and sink to the bottom, forming a "layer with high content of heavy metals", which will not only accelerate the deterioration of water quality, but also cause the extinction of aquatic organisms. Moreover, this impact will have a chain reaction. The continuous growth of water hyacinth on the surface of the water is also a fatal blow to farmers. Fish fry can't be put in, the number of fish and shrimp in the water plummets, and the quality of aquatic products plummets ......

Water hyacinth overpopulates and can't even run away from boats when it clogs up rivers. In addition, there is a potential threat to the water surface covered with a large number of water hyacinth, seriously impede the flow of water, flood and drought control has a negative impact. Water hyacinth flooded place is the mosquito's "paradise". When it withers and rots, the water body stinks and easily breeds mosquitoes. Water hyacinth is notorious, which is closely related to the harm caused by its flooding. But is this a "natural disaster" or a "man-made disaster"? When people plant water hyacinth, if you can follow the laws of nature, proper control, not only can help treat sewage, but also as livestock feed and ornamental crops.

In recent years, China's flood control of water hyacinth is quite effective. I believe we can all feel that water hyacinth, which was once everywhere in the rivers, is now rare and even almost disappeared in some places after years of active prevention and control.

At present, water hyacinth treatment mainly consists of manual/mechanical salvage and non-proliferation. Manual salvage although time-consuming and laborious, high input costs, but also the most effective and fastest way. According to the water hyacinth, the growth and reproduction characteristics, the smart people also thought of a good way: the use of fencing or floating objects, in the tendency to avoid harm at the same time, but also effective control of water hyacinth, the proliferation of proliferation. After a clear understanding of water hyacinth, I hope you do not discard or plant water hyacinth in the wild.