If you’re not sure if your new plants are invasive scourges, read on for the details on Identifying The Scourge both milfoil and coontail and, if you have them, how to get rid of each!

Identify The Scourge 

Milfoil vs. Coontail

Both milfoil and coontail are located in North America, but they have uniquely distinct characteristics that help you tell them apart. Coontail tends to exist Austrailia and New Zealand but can appear anywhere.

Once you are able to determine the plant you are dealing with, you can figure out how to get rid of it.

Both of these invasive plants can be found in waters less than 20 feet in depth. Neither plant has roots, so they can grow and thrive near the surface.

Milfoil, however, has long, feathery leaves with reddish-brown or whitish-pink stems. They have a seaweed-like quality about them.

Coontail, on the other hand, looks more like a tiny evergreen tree. The stems are jointed and appear to be a mix between red and purple or pale green.

Approaching the Eradication of These Pests

Invasive weeds are the worst kind of prest. They’ll land in your clean lake from an Identifying The Scourge and rapidly spread before you know they are there.

Even worse, when you think you have them beat, they’ll show up again from one tiny plant that you missed.

Because of the aggressive nature of milfoil and coontail, they can spread so thickly that they kill off the natural ecosystem in their new habitat.

Some chemicals on the market are effective in treating both of these invaders. Liquid and granular herbicides have good results when it comes to killing milfoil and coontail in small areas.

However, both of these can manifest and take over if another boat is in your lake or someone who fished in a lake with either plant in them comes to yours without proper precautions. Even draining water that has a plant in them can cause your lake to become invested.

Because of this, it’s best that you team up with a company that offers milfoil removal with multi-year management plans. Then you don’t have to be ever-vigilant; the company does it for you.

Before the Invasion Starts, Be Alert

Use the premise that weeds are not welcome in your pond or lake. As soon as you see a plant that you don’t recognize, assume that it’s invasive and check into it quickly.

Being cautious and alert and Identifying The Scourge of a milfoil or coontail invasion can help you stop the spread of these plants before they become unstoppable.