Plant Management in Florida Waters - An Integrated Approach

Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants - University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences & Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Invasive Plant Management Section

Para grass

Home / 1. Why Manage Plants? / Florida's Most Invasive Aquatic Plants / Para grass

Quick Facts
Scientific name	Urochloa mutica
Origin	Africa
Introduction	Late 1800s, forage grass
Aquatic community	Emergent grass
Habitat	Wet soils, shorelines, floating mats
Distribution	Central and South Florida
Management effort	Complaint management
2014 public waters / plant acres:	202 / 763

Environmental and Economic Concerns

Sprawling grass up to 15 feet long that forms dense tufts on shorelines
Provides little wildlife value and crowds out native plants
Mats can break loose forming floating islands
Considered one of the world’s worst weeds

Urochloa mutica

Urochloa mutica

Management Options
Biological	None available
Chemical	Glyphosate, imazapyr
Mechanical	Mowing; harvest or shred floating mats
Physical	Drawdown, desiccation, and burning

Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Status of the Aquatic Plant Maintenance Program in Florida Public Waters, Annual Report – Fiscal Year 2009-2010.