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Hydrilla is a freshwater plant.  The Hydrilla will grow to the waters surface from a depth of up to 20 feet. This is a very standard plant because it can almost grow in any freshwaters such as springs, rivers, fens, ditches, and lakes.  Hydrillas can grow in as little as a few inches of water or in as much as 20 feet of water.  The Hydrilla can thrive in either oligotrophic (low nutrient) or eutrophic (high nutrient) water conditions.  

The Hydrilla is suited to more mild climates as it will only tolerate temperatures between 20 C and 27 C.  Upon extending to the surface, the Hydrillas full branches spread out to form a thick mat.  The underwater stems of the Hydrilla can be as long as twenty five feet.  Rhizomes, another name for the roots, are off-white to yellow in color.  The Hydrilla has several ways of breeding. Fragmentation, from seeds, from tuber, and turions (auxiliary buds) are ways how this pest reproduces.

The Hydrilla has many positives on its side when compared to other aquatic plants.   Only one percent sunlight is need for the Hydrilla to grow. These plants also take up the rich foods from its place so that the other indigenous sources can’t get it. Hydrillas are labeled as a noxious pest because of their fast growth rate that makes them a threat to other indigenous plants.   The greatest danger of Hydrilla is that it can grow out of control and undetected until it pops out at the surface at the last minute.  Hydrillas will ofttimes choke out native aquatic plants because they take up so much surface area absorbing the sunlight and nutrients.

Millions of dollars are spent each year on herbicides and harvesting devices in an attempt to keep this plants growth under control.   Hydrilla harms the vegetation in the immediate area making it near hopeless for fishermen to fish.   Hydrilla is responsible for slowing water flow and choking irrigation and flood- control canals.   Hydrilla impedes swimmers, boatmen and fishermen alike.  Mass amounts of Hydrilla can seriously lower the oxygen levels of the water it is growing in.

Elodea and Egeria are often confused for Hydrilla. The aquatic plants Elodea and Egeria are often thought to be Hydrilla.  In the case of a Hydrilla, there is one or more teeth located at the bottom of the midrib. But for Elodea and Egeria, this is not present. Due to these teeth, we feel the roughness of these plants when we rub over from its base to the tip. The flowers the Egeria produce are also larger than the Hydrilla.  

Hydrilla is eaten by macro and micro invertebrates.  When they die and disintegrate they turn into food for species like ducks, fish, amphibians, reptilians and other wildlife species.   When Hydrilla dies naturally, they are decomposed by bacteria and fungi and the end result is “detritus” a food for a number of marine invertebrates. Many ducks consume Hydrilla turions and tubers, but it is not believed a fine wildlife feed.