They are commonly also known as aguapes, water hyacinths, hyacinths, bushings, hyacinths of water, bora, water hyacinth or taruyas. They are aquatic perennial plants of the family Pontederiacea genus Eichhornia. The abundance of water hyacinth can lead to eutrophication of a body of water. However, they are very useful for the uptake of heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), in polluted waters.
