Curly-leaf Pondweed

Potamogeton crispus


A crowd of people stood around the curled leaves of another machinery plant. Water was flowing out at its bottom end.

Rainwater, captured on the leaves, was collected in an underground reservoir, treated and then released again for drinking. Through a system of tubes, which was connected with hoses, the water was also transmitted to other plants, forming a network with the green of the city.

Water supply at Mott Street, Chinatown, Manhattan.

Curly-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton Crispus) and the Brooklyn Bridge above.

Artificial Plants at the Bowery, Lower East Side, Manhattan.

Curly-leaf pondweed is an invasive aquatic perennial that is native to Eurasia, Africa, and Australia. It was accidentally introduced to United States waters in the mid-1880s by hobbyists who used it as an aquarium plant. It generally grows in 3-10 feet of water and competes with native plant life and sometimes displaces it because of its tolerance for low light and low water temperatures.

Because of its very high nutritional requirement, the curly-leaved pondweed is a useful plant for water purification. It is evergreen and provides the necessary oxygen even in winter.