The plant is fully submerged, except for
occasional floating leaves and flowers
above the water surface. The roots grow
on the bottom of water bodies and the
stems can reach the surface. Parts of the
plant can survive free-floating for six to
eight weeks.
Cabomba is sensitive to drying out and
requires permanent shallow water, usually
less than 3 m, but up to 10 m, deep. It
is a perennial plant with branched stems
that have white or reddish brown hairs
growing on them. The underwater leaves
are divided into fine branches, giving
them a feathery fan-like appearance (in
some countries, cabomba is known as
fanwort). These leaves secrete a sticky
mucous which covers the submerged
parts of the plant. The floating leaves,
on the other hand, are small, diamondshaped
and borne on the flowering
branches. The flowers are solitary.
They range in colour from white to pale
yellow and may also include a pink to
purplish tinge