Water Soldier, Stratiotes aloides, is an aquatic plant commonly sold in the aquarium and water garden industry. The plant is native to Europe and Central Asia and has been found for the first time in Canada in the Trent Severn Waterway near the hamlet of Trent River. Water Soldier also known as water aloe, looks very similar to an aloe vera plant, or the top of a pineapple plant. It has an interesting growth pattern in that it grows underwater on the river bottom, most of the year, but in late spring and summer it "pops up" to the surface. The new leaves that grow in the spring, have air pockets which enable the plant to float. As the older leaves die back in fall they become waterlogged, and weigh the plant back underwater.

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Water soldier forms dense populations with large masses of plants which appear to be able to crowd other aquatic plant species. Another notable concern is that each leaf is lined with small serrated spines that can easily cut swimmers or others that use the water for recreational purposes.

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Parks Canada are currently conducting surveillance for water soldier on the Trent Severn waterway to determine the extent of spread of the plant. (Currently it is known in only 2 isolated locations).

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Report all sightings of water soldier to the OFAH/MNR Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711

(More information will be available soon)