An aquarium plant escaped into Florida waterways in the 1950s; within 40 years, hydrilla had spread to over 70% of the state’s watersheds

• Hydrilla, a submerged plant native to parts of Asia, can grow rapidly, form dense mats near the water’s surface and spread through fragments carried between water bodies.
• Within about 40 years of its introduction, the plant had established populations in more than 70% of Florida’s water