WATER HYACINTH

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

30/X/2025

A new flower has bloomed in the Ellis’ rooftop aquatic garden. We had been waiting for it for quite long. It is called the ‘Water Hyacinth’. It is considered as a wild weed and an invasive species but for us it is a beauty.

I floated back to my childhood when we used to go fishing to a rivulet very close to where we used to stay. It was called “Kanjli River”, a diversion and an overflow “Bein” or small river carved out of Sutlej River to be used for irrigation for Kapurthala district.

However, the Maharaja of Kapurthala had other ideas. He built a dam on the river to hold water for off seasons and converted it into the royal boat club with all sorts of boats including single and double ‘skulls’.

Besides HH also had facilities for angling for which there were RCC platforms extending into the deep side of the river and close to his “Villa Palace” located on the river bank.

My dad and I frequented this river for our angling exploits. We saw this river in fury during floods where buffaloes would be washed away. The banks would crumble, changing the course of the river. Trees growing on the embankments would slowly be engulfed by the force of water and go along the flow when the ‘Dar’ or ‘sluice gates’ would be opened to let the water flow freely down stream.

There was another adjoining drain flowing towards the city. This used to be full of weed and that weed used to be Water Hyacinth. The dark green plant would float on water and produce purple flowers in season.

Soon, Kanjli rivulet went into neglect. This invasive species started encroaching the main river. The boat club closed down and hyacinth started engulfing the water body. The plants became so thick that cattle could cross the river walking on it. We used to wonder, what if the plants separate and the animal falls into the water.

Our normal fishing spots started reducing as this weed spread like cancer. It was called “Jal Khumbi” locally. Dad would pull out a ton of weeds which got intertwined with each other and take a lot of effort to make a small clearing to cast his line to fish.

It was brought as an ornamental plant to Bengal with the East India company they say, but slowly and steadily it spread like wildfire. If not kept under check, it could consume water bodies, killing all vegetation underneath by blocking out sunlight. It became a menace. However, the vast expanse of its purple flowers was very pleasing to the eyes.

One had a glimpse of its unchecked growth in the backwaters of Kerala when we had gone visiting there.

Fast forward fifty plus years and we came down to the Suncity to anchor permanently. We have a lake here and that too is infested with this weed.

An idea came to my mind that if it loves stagnant water then can it be grown in a bucket? During one of my fishing trips to the local lake called Kailana, one wanted to wade and catch at least one plant. The swollen globules help it float and drift from place to place. Kailana had the purple one growing in plenty. Somehow, every time I went fishing, I forgot to bring one home.

Then one day I found a variation in the colour of its flower. The plant appeared the same in all forms like shape, structure, colour of leaves and size. Blooms were pale lavender to almost pinkish-white, with a yellow spot on the uppermost petal. This variation may be due to mutation, lack of nutrients or even environmental stress, I am not sure.

It has thick, inflated ‘petioles’ (leaf stalks), an adaptation for buoyancy. Leaves are smooth, waxy with a light green shade and dark streaks are prominently visible. The purple ones are dark green.

It is a sun loving plant and very difficult to destroy. In a year’s time this plant over grew the bucket it was planted in. It was trimmed and clipped and they say that it makes excellent compost, so that is where it went. The roots are fibrous and thick. These days people are making clothes from its fibre.

This plant has been home for many grasshoppers and dragonflies. I let the insects enjoy it as this is a hardy plant and can tolerate insect attacks. The insects attract birds and I get my subjects to photograph. It is mutual.

The flowering season for Water hyacinth (Pontederia crassipes) is on. When will I bring the purple coloured one? I wonder!!!!!!