Water hyacinth

Like that one!

They're floating about like islands all over the place...but, they don't seem to like the sun!

Oh really? how strange. really pretty :)

I think they're 'winter' plants...
Strange thing is there's at least one flip-flop in each floating island...but never a pair! lol! :)))

Eichhornia is considered an invasive pest in much of Africa........

Ooh I wonder if it would survive in my pond in the winter?

Not a hope in hell I'm afraid Pixi!

:((((((((

It is everywhere, Meanie - but was at it's peak when I first arrived. The islands are getting more sparse now and the bulbous bits are sinking back into the water. I wonder what will happen to all the flip-flops??!

I buy a bit every spring (in France), Pixi...it multiplies like mad (as long as it not in full sun all the time) then dies in the winter.

Ah..I dont really have room for it in my wee pond..the watermint and Lillies take voer! lol :)

That's true, Pixi... :)))

Looks like swamp jsut now lol

I believe that this plant is being looked at as a fuel for bio mass energy systems in the third world owing to its prolific speed of growth.

Wow! There's so much of it here...it might mean we could have a continuous electricity supply!

Been trying to find my original source of the info (I think that it came from something to do with the "land grab"), but have only come up with this Wikipedia page so far........

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eichhornia_crassipes

Yep! That makes sense, considering that Rwanda's not far from here (in the scheme of things)...

But I think that it may take a while to catch on as a bio-fuel here, since petrol costs around 15p per litre and they're not really thinking about the future...

The African tragedy is that the people who are affected by it do think of the future - the ones in power who can escape are just thinking of their pockets. A bit of a generalisation, I agree, but not a million miles from the truth either.

I would be interested in your take on this blog Karen..........

http://www.growsonyou.com/meanie/blog/17427-food-for-thought-fuelling-the-debate

I will certainly get to it tomorrow, Meanie...can you just reply to this comment so that it doesn't disappear from my news? We're an hour ahead and it's sun up to sun down here...

I should have added that this is one of my favourites at the botanic gardens!

It's flipping massive compared to the little ones I get for my pond in France!

I've commented my twopence worth on your blog Meanie. It's possibly just a big ramble or rant...but, what I've found here is that we just don't get told much about real life in Africa. I'm learning so much...

Not a ramble nor a rant (I'm more guilty of the rant!) Karen.

Interesting about this plants role in cleansing the water too.

At this end of the creek that's a GOOD thing, Meanie, believe me!!

But it's a real nuisance too...it clogs up the jets and propellors of the smaller boats...

Esther has just told me that it's used in Haba medicines too...