Introduced into North America as an ornamental plant it has now become a serious invasive weed[3] in the Great Lakes area and in parts of the Pacific Northwest.

It is native to Old World continents and grows on the margins of still and slowly moving water down to a depth of about 3 m. It has pink flowers.

Ovules are numerous and found scattered over the inner surface of the carpel wall, except on the midrib and edges.

[5] Butomus umbellatus is native to Eurasia and was first found in Canada in the late 1800s and in the United States in the early 1900s.

The species was unintentionally introduced into the United States’ Great Lakes through the discharge of contaminated cargo ship ballast water.

[8] This plant spreads mostly from its rhizomes and occurs in wet areas with muddy soil, such as freshwater marshlands, lakes and streams.

It is tolerant of a wide range of temperatures which gave it the potential to invade across much of the United States.