Curly Pondweed

Scientific Name

Potamogeton crispus L. (ITIS)

Common Name

Curly pondweed, Curly-leaf pondweed

Native To

Eurasia, Africa, Australia (Catling and Dobson 1985)

Date of U.S. Introduction

Mid-1800s (Catling and Dobson 1985)

Means of Introduction

Unknown, possibly introduced accidentally with fish stocking operations (Catling and Dobson 1985; Nichols and Shaw 1986)

Impact

Forms dense mats that inhibit growth of native species and impede recreational activities (Catling and Dobson 1985)

Curly pondweed, foliage

Credit

Photo by Chris Evans; University of Illinois

Source

Invasive.org.

Find more images

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS) - Curly-leaved Pondweed
- University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database: Point Map - Curly-Leaf Pondweed
- DOI. USGS. Wetland and Aquatic Research Center.
- Provides detailed collection information as well as animated map.

Videos

YouTube - Curly Leaf Pond Weed
- Google. YouTube; Montana Weed Control Association.

All Resources

View and Filter All Curly Pondweed Resources

Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source.

Council or Task Force

Fact Sheet: Curly Leaf Pondweed [PDF, 788 KB]
- Apr 2016
- Alberta Invasive Species Council (Canada).
- See also: Fact Sheets for more information about individual invasive species, including those listed as "Prohibited Noxious" and "Noxious" under the Alberta Weed Control Act
Invasive Plants of Ohio: Fact Sheet 18 - Lesser Naiad and Curly Pondweed [PDF, 316 KB]
- Ohio Invasive Plants Council.
- See also: Invasive Plants of Ohio for worst invasive plant species identified in Ohio's natural areas

Partnership

Global Invasive Species Database - Potamogeton crispus (aquatic plant)
- IUCN. Species Survival Commission. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States - Curly-leaved Pondweed
- University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Invasive Species Compendium - Potamogeton crispus
- CAB International.
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER) - Potamogeton crispus
- USDA. FS. Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry.
Plantwise Technical Factsheet - Curlyleaf Pondweed (Potamogeton crispus)
- CABI. PlantwisePlus Knowledge Bank.
Species Information Sheets - Curly Pondweed
- Michigan State University. Midwest Invasive Species Information Network.

Federal Government

National Exotic Marine and Estuarine Species Information System (NEMESIS): Chesapeake Bay Introduced Species Database - Potamogeton crispus
- Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Marine Invasions Research Lab.
Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database: Fact Sheet - Curly-leaf Pondweed
- DOI. USGS. Wetland and Aquatic Research Center.
- Provides distribution maps and collection information (State and County).
PLANTS Database - Curly Pondweed
- USDA. NRCS. National Plant Data Center.
U.S. National Plant Germplasm System - Potamogeton crispus
- USDA. ARS. National Genetic Resources Program. GRIN-Global.

State and Local Government

Freshwater Aquatic Invasive Species in Rhode Island: Curlyleaf Pondweed [PDF, 1.95 MB]
- Nov 2017
- Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. Office of Water Resources.
- See also: Aquatic Invasive Plants for species of concern
Curly-Leaf Pondweed (Potamogeton crispus)
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Invasive Plants in Pennsylvania: Curly Pondweed [PDF, 191 KB]
- Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
- See also: Invasive Plant Fact Sheets for plant species (trees, shrubs, vines, herbs and aquatic plants) that have impacted the state's natural lands
Whatcom Weeds: Curly-Leaf Pondweed [PDF, 361 KB]
- Whatcom County Noxious Weed Control Board (Washington).
- See also: Noxious Weed Fact Sheets for more species

Academic

Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Training Manual: Curly-leaf Pondweed Monitoring Protocol [PDF, 2.82 MB]
- May 2014
- University of Wisconsin. Extension Lakes Program. Citizen Lake Monitoring Network.
- See also: Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Training Manual for full publication
AIS in Minnesota - Curlyleaf Pondweed
- University of Minnesota. Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center.
AQUAPLANT - Curly-Leafed Pondweed
- Texas A&M University. AgriLife Extension Service. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences.
Aquatic Plants and Algae: Curly-Leaf Pondweed
- Pennsylvania State University. Cooperative Extension.
Factsheet: Curly-leaf Pondweed
- Pennsylvania State University. Pennsylvania Sea Grant.
- See also: Aquatic Invasive Species Fact Sheets for additional species information
Invasive Species Guide - Curly Pondweed
- University of Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Professional

Curly-Leaf Pondweed is in Lake George
- Lake George Association (New York).

Citations

Catling, P.M. and I. Dobson. 1985. The biology of Canadian weeds: 69. Potamogeton crispus L. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 65(3):655-668.
Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Potamogeton crispus. [Accessed Aug 27, 2023].
Nichols, S.A. and B.H. Shaw. 1986. Ecological life histories of the three aquatic nuisance plants, Myriophyllum spicatum, Potamogeton crispus and Elodea canadensis. Hydrobiologia 131(1):3-21.

Find more images

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS) - Curly-leaved Pondweed

Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database: Point Map - Curly-Leaf Pondweed

Videos

YouTube - Curly Leaf Pond Weed

All Resources

Selected Resources

Fact Sheet: Curly Leaf Pondweed [PDF, 788 KB]

Invasive Plants of Ohio: Fact Sheet 18 - Lesser Naiad and Curly Pondweed [PDF, 316 KB]

Global Invasive Species Database - Potamogeton crispus (aquatic plant)

Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States - Curly-leaved Pondweed

Invasive Species Compendium - Potamogeton crispus

Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER) - Potamogeton crispus

Plantwise Technical Factsheet - Curlyleaf Pondweed (Potamogeton crispus)

Species Information Sheets - Curly Pondweed

National Exotic Marine and Estuarine Species Information System (NEMESIS): Chesapeake Bay Introduced Species Database - Potamogeton crispus

Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database: Fact Sheet - Curly-leaf Pondweed

PLANTS Database - Curly Pondweed

U.S. National Plant Germplasm System - Potamogeton crispus

Freshwater Aquatic Invasive Species in Rhode Island: Curlyleaf Pondweed [PDF, 1.95 MB]

Curly-Leaf Pondweed (Potamogeton crispus)

Invasive Plants in Pennsylvania: Curly Pondweed [PDF, 191 KB]

Whatcom Weeds: Curly-Leaf Pondweed [PDF, 361 KB]

Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Training Manual: Curly-leaf Pondweed Monitoring Protocol [PDF, 2.82 MB]

AIS in Minnesota - Curlyleaf Pondweed

AQUAPLANT - Curly-Leafed Pondweed

Aquatic Plants and Algae: Curly-Leaf Pondweed

Factsheet: Curly-leaf Pondweed

Invasive Species Guide - Curly Pondweed

Curly-Leaf Pondweed is in Lake George