Water Lettuce

Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) is a distinctive free-floating aquatic plant whose soft, velvety rosettes of pale-green, ribbed leaves closely resemble a floating head of lettuce. Beneath the surface hangs a dense mass of feathery fibrous roots that absorb excess nutrients, helping to naturally clarify and balance the water in ornamental ponds. Rosettes typically range from 10 to 30 cm across and multiply rapidly, providing excellent surface coverage and shade for fish. Best kept in controlled, enclosed garden pond environments — it should not be released into open waterways. A popular, low-maintenance choice for ponds and indoor water bowls across Kenya.