Category: Water Body Restoration
Floating quietly on ponds and slow-moving waters, duckweed may appear insignificant at first glance. Yet this tiny plant is one of the most remarkable aquatic species in the natural world. Belonging to the family Lemnaceae, duckweed includes several small floating plants, the most common being Lemna minor, often called common duckweed.
This photograph was taken at the water tank of Sri Vettai Perumal Temple, where duckweed forms a green layer on the water surface. We harvest duckweed from the temple tank, mix it with soil, and allow it to decompose quickly so that it can be used as green manure, enriching the soil with natural nutrients.
Duckweed is considered one of the smallest flowering plants in the world. Each plant is extremely tiny, usually only 1-10 mm wide, and consists of a flat oval structure called a frond. Some species have a single delicate root hanging in the water, while others have no roots at all. These plants float freely on freshwater ponds, lakes, and slow-moving streams, forming a thin green layer on the water surface.
Despite its tiny size, duckweed provides several important environmental and practical benefits. It is rich in protein (about 20-40%), making it a valuable animal feed for fish, ducks, chickens, pigs, and even cattle. In many places, it is cultivated as a natural and sustainable feed source.
The plant absorbs excess nitrogen and phosphorus from water and can even remove heavy metals and toxins from wastewater, helping improve water quality. Duckweed helps improve aquatic ecosystems by contributing to oxygen levels in water and providing a habitat for small aquatic organisms.
