Water chestnut U.S. range

While established in the northeastern

United States since the late 1800's, the

Asian Trapa natans, continues to advance

into new territory in New England and the

Mid-Atlantic states.  In the past 2 years,

New Hampshire and Connecticut have

experienced first occurrences of this robust

floating aquatic plant that re-establishes each

year from dangerously sharp-spined nuts. 

Although new to the Nashua River, NH

in 1998 and the Connecticut River, CT,in

1999, water chestnut is a repeat offender to

tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay where plants

were first experienced in the 1920s.  Since 1997

plants have reappeared on the Bird and the

Sassafras Rivers, tributaries of the northern

Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. 

 

Are we missing an occurrence?

Contact:  Colette_Jacono@ usgs.gov

 

Water chestnut in Maryland from MD DNR