BLOG: Runner brought to a halt.

Not everyone agrees. Is the water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) a beloved water plant or a danger to biodiversity? Where we could discuss about it until last march, now one of our best running water plants has been brought to a stop by decision of the EU.

The water hyacinth is one of the classic water plants that can be found in many ponds, small or large. However, it has recently been put on the European list with invasive non-native species. Which means that per August 3, our runner may no longer be grown nor traded.

Not only the water hyacinth may, according to the EU, no longer be grown or traded. The same also applies for the Cabomba Carolinian, Lagarosiphon major and lysichiton americanu. That is why we have taken all 4 species from our offer.

According to the EU the water hyacinth and the other water plants on the banned list are exotic plants and these should be held outside Europe in order to protect native species. Because the European Union currently has no internal frontiers, the regulation cannot be regional bound. This means that the plants are banned throughout the EU.

For us, as plant lovers, the whole thing is a sensitive issue. On the one hand, we don’t want our biodiversity serious damages by a non-native plant species, on the other hand, the water hyacinth only is a threat in some parts of southern Europe. The Eichhornia doesn’t survive the winters in most of the countries in Europe. Therefore we think it is very unfortunate that the ban of the plants applies for all European countries and not only for the areas where it is a problem.

Veröffentlicht: 28 Juli 2016