Water hyacinth stays off sale in Great Britain. The Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association (OATA) said on November 2, 2026 that Defra has confirmed it will not lift the ban, even though an independent risk assessment found the pond plant does not pose an invasive risk in the UK under foreseeable climate conditions. If you run an aquatic store, garden center pond section or plant nursery, nothing changes on your shelves: the plant and the nine other species reviewed with it remain restricted.
What Defra decided
Ministers decided in September 2026 not to go ahead with de-listing ten species from the list of Species of Special Concern, according to the GB Non-native Species Secretariat. That list applies across England, Scotland and Wales and carries the restrictions from the retained EU Regulation 1143/2014. The ten had been recommended for removal by the GB Committee after the first comprehensive review of the list, completed in April 2022. They are small Asian mongoose, coati, striped eel catfish, balloon vine, perennial veldtgrass, water hyacinth, whitetop weed, crimson fountaingrass, mesquite and kudzu vine.
The Secretariat says ministers were not satisfied that the case for change outweighed the risks, citing uncertainty about how the species might establish under future climate conditions. It describes the decision as a precautionary approach. The next comprehensive review of the list is due to be completed by August 2028.
Why the aquatics trade is unhappy
OATA says the decision has cost the UK ornamental aquatics industry more than £3.5 million in lost sales since March 2023, when the scientific review picked out several species for de-listing. Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) was once a popular garden pond plant and was banned from sale under EU invasive species legislation in 2016. OATA’s argument is that the plant can cause real problems in warmer climates, but colder UK winters and the lack of winter sunlight mean it cannot survive outdoors all year here.
“British businesses have been left waiting nearly four years for a decision, despite repeated efforts to get the legislation changed,” said Dr Matthew Bond, chief executive of OATA. He said the necessary legislation had been drafted before the last general election but never reached the statute book, and that the trade wants invasive species policy based on the environmental risks in this country. OATA is asking Defra ministers to explain why the scientific assessment did not lead to a change in the plant’s status.
What it means for retailers and growers
- Water hyacinth and the other nine species stay on the Species of Special Concern list, so the existing restrictions continue to apply in Great Britain.
- Any stock plans that assumed the plant would come back for the 2027 pond season should be dropped.
- The next chance of a change is the comprehensive review due by August 2028, and OATA has said it doubts the value of that round if the scientific advice is not followed.
OATA is the UK trade body for the ornamental fish and aquatics industry, and you can find its profile on our OATA listing. If you’re planning next season’s pond range, you can compare aquatic plant wholesalers such as Anglo Aquatic Plant, plus pond and koi suppliers including Oasis Water Garden Products, alongside other pet trade suppliers in the United Kingdom. Aquatics buyers can also meet suppliers at PATS 2027.
This item is based on desk research of OATA’s statement and the Non-native Species Secretariat’s published decision. We have not spoken to Defra or OATA.
Source: ornamentalfish.org, nonnativespecies.org
