Myriophyllum farwellii

Farwell's Water-milfoil

NATIVE TO MAINE

NOTE: All leafy milfoils display a wide range of vegetative variability. All milfoils found in Maine waters should be considered “suspect” as potential invaders until a positive identification has been confirmed.

Habitat: Farwell’s water-milfoil is found in the submersed plant community. It can grow in shallow water in coves of lakes or slow-moving streams.

Description: Farwell’s water-milfoil has submersed leaves only. The leaves are typically 1 to 3 cm long, and feather-like finely divided. The leaves are closely spaced and scattered along the stem, arranged both alternately and in loose whorls. Stems and/or leaves may be reddish. Unlike all of invasive milfoils on Maine’s watch-list, and most of the other Maine native milfoils, Farwell’s does not produce flowers on an emergent stalk. Farwell’s water-milfoil and its close native look-alike, low water-milfoil, both produce flowers, followed by small fruits, along the submersed stems in the leaf axils. The fruits of Farwell’s have bumpy ridges (as opposed to the smooth fruits of low water-milfoil). Toward the end of the growing season, winter buds (or turions) comprised of small stiff leaves, are formed along the submersed stems. (Low water-milfoil does not produce winter buds.)

Range: Farwell’s water-milfoil is a native plant, scattered in all northern New England states, New York, Michigan, Minnesota, some Canadian provinces.

Annual Cycle: Farwell’s water-milfoil may survive the winter as winter buds of tightly compressed leaves or hardy rootstalks. This plant propagates by turions, by fragmentation and by seed. Some water-milfoils are known to hybridize with each other.

Value in the Aquatic Community: Farwell’s water-milfoil is a food source for wildlife including water fowl. The plants provide shade and cover for fish and insect larva.

Look Alikes: May be confused with other water-milfoil species (especially low water milfoil), coontail, prickly hornwort and the submersed forms of water marigold, common bladderwort, white water crowfoot, yellow water crowfoot, fanwort, or mermaid weed.