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National Invasive Species Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Home / Aquatic Invasives / Aquatic Plants / Water Spinach

Water Spinach

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Water spinach
Swamp morning-glory (water spinach), flowers - Photo by Charles T. Bryson; USDA, Agricultural Research Service
Scientific Name: 

Ipomoea aquatica Forssk. (ITIS)

Common Name: 
Water spinach, swamp morning glory, swamp morningglory
Native To: 

Asia (Lee 1998)

Date of U.S. Introduction: 

1970s (Langeland et al. 2008)

Means of Introduction: 

Horticultural escape (Lee 1998)

Impact: 

Crowds out native species (Lee 1998)

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System (EDDMapS) - Swamp Morningglory
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Provides state, county, point and GIS data. Maps can be downloaded and shared.

Federally Regulated

Noxious Weeds Program
USDA. APHIS. Plant Protection and Quarantine.

Includes species listed as a Federal Noxious Weed under the Plant Protection Act, which makes it illegal in the U.S. to import or transport between States without a permit.

Images

Google Images - Water Spinach
Google.
Invasive.org - Swamp Morningglory
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.

Videos

YouTube - Water Spinach
Google. YouTube; University of Florida. IFAS. Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants.

Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source. Or, to display all related content view all resources for Water Spinach.

Partnership
Federal Noxious Weed Disseminules of the U.S. - Fact Sheet: Ipomoea aquatica

USDA. APHIS. PPQ. Center for Plant Health Science and Technology; California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Global Invasive Species Database - Ipomoea aquatica (vine, climber)
IUCN. Species Survival Commission. Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States - Swamp Morning Glory
University of Georgia. Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.
Invasive Species Compendium - Ipomoea aquatica
CAB International.
Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER) - Ipomoea aquatica
USDA. FS. Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry.
Plantwise Technical Factsheet - Swamp Morning-glory (Ipomoea aquatica)
CABI. Plantwise Knowledge Bank.
Texas Invasives Database - Ipomoea aquatica
TexasInvasives.org.
Federal Government
PLANTS Database - Swamp Morning-Glory
USDA. NRCS. National Plant Data Center.
U.S. National Plant Germplasm System - Ipomoea aquatica

USDA. ARS. National Genetic Resources Program. GRIN-Global.

State and Local Government
Water Spinach

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Weed Alerts: Water-spinach
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Academic
Plant Profile: Ipomoea aquatica

University of Florida. IFAS. Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants.

Professional
Plant Finder: Ipomoea aquatica
Missouri Botanical Garden.

Citations

  • Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Ipomoea aquatica. [Accessed Sep 10, 2014].

  • Langeland, K.A., and H.M. Cherry, C.M. McCormick, and K.A. Craddock Burks. 2008. Ipomoea aquatica (PDF | 70 KB) In: Identification and Biology of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas (2nd ed., p.67). Gainesville: University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

  • Lee, J. 1998. Handle this spinach with care. Agricultural Research 46(6): 26.