Azolla caroliniana: Country Or Region Of Origin
Americas
Plant Profile: Azolla caroliniana
Taxonomy: Azolla carolinianaNames
Eastern Mosquito Fern, Fairy Moss, Mosquito Fern
Phonetic Spelling:a-ZOL-luh kair-oh-lin-ee-AN-uh
Genus:Azolla
Species:caroliniana
Family:Salviniaceae
Azolla caroliniana is a diminutive aquatic plant, typically reaching heights of under one inch. Its leaves are generally avoided by fish, and it is advisable to bring it indoors during the winter months. This species thrives in shallow ponds, ditches, and slow-moving streams. Notably, the leaflets of Azolla caroliniana host a symbiotic blue-green alga known as Anabaena azollae, which plays a crucial role in nitrogen fixation.
Azolla caroliniana Feature Summary
Azolla caroliniana Image Gallery
Tags
#red
#full sun tolerant
#water garden
#heat tolerant
#annual
#green
#partial sun
#red leaves
#piedmont
#spores
#fern
#wetlands
#water plant
#wet sites
#stream banks
#food source
#fast growing
#NC native
#spreading
#deer resistant
#ponds
#native garden
#ditches
#mountains
#coastal plants
#summer interest
#aquatic plant
#native annual
#native water plant
#fruits summer
#forb
#food source herbage
#wet soils tolerant
#fruits
#native
#waterfowl
#wetland margins
#partial shade tolerant
#audubon
Similar Plants
Azolla caroliniana Feature Summary
Attributes
Americas
This plant benefits waterfowl and shorebirds.
Annual
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Fruit
Spores are available from June to September.
Summer
Flowers
Flowers are not showy.
Leaves
This plant has lacy, bright green fronds that turn reddish in full sun and during fall.
Green
Gold/Yellow
Red/Burgundy
Red/Burgundy
Fronds
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Occasionally Wet
Frequent Standing Water
Stem
Landscape
Native Garden
Water Garden
Naturalized Area
Pond
Azolla caroliniana Image Gallery
Azolla caroliniana Attributes
Azolla caroliniana: Wildlife Value
This plant benefits waterfowl and shorebirds.
Azolla caroliniana: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Azolla caroliniana: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Azolla caroliniana Fruit
Azolla caroliniana: Fruit Description
Spores are available from June to September.
Azolla caroliniana: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Azolla caroliniana Flowers
Azolla caroliniana: Flower Description
Flowers are not showy.
Azolla caroliniana Leaves
Azolla caroliniana: Leaf Description
This plant has lacy, bright green fronds that turn reddish in full sun and during fall.
Azolla caroliniana: Leaf Color
Gold/Yellow
Green
Red/Burgundy
Azolla caroliniana: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color
Red/Burgundy
Azolla caroliniana: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Azolla caroliniana: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Azolla caroliniana Whole Plant Traits
Azolla caroliniana: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Azolla caroliniana: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Azolla caroliniana: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Azolla caroliniana Cultural Conditions
Azolla caroliniana: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Azolla caroliniana: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Azolla caroliniana Stem
Azolla caroliniana: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Azolla caroliniana Landscape
Azolla caroliniana: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Azolla caroliniana: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Azolla caroliniana: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
