Ceratophyllum Demersum Coontail has feathery leaves staged in coils on the stem. This area of the plant that closely resembles a raccoons' tail, hence the name coontail. The leaves are a fan-shaped design that floats on the surface of the water. The leaves cluster in groups in numbers about six with leaves extending up to 40mm long.



The feathery appearance is due to the leaves being divided into numerous slender segments. The leaves have numerous smaller teeth referred to as midribs. The midribs are the reason the plant has a rough texture when touched.

The stems of the Ceratophyllum Demersum Coontail have numerous shoots creating a large bushy plant form reaching 1-3 m in length. The Ceratophyllum Demersum Coontail has small flowers that are tiny and uncommonly seen. It lives in slow moving waters such as ponds and streams with water temperatures ranging 59 to 86 degrees. The roots embed in the floor of the water areas it inhabits with several segments that have barbed teeth. The plant has male and female reproductive organs with individual flowers taking the roles of either male or female for reproduction. The self-producing plant ensures reproduction with the self-contained sex organs guaranteeing continued existence.

The small flowers are approximately 2 mm long with up to eight petals in a greenish to brownish color. The fruit of the plant are small nutlike generally about 4-5 mm long containing three prickers, two that are bases and one that is the top of the plant. There are varieties of this plant other bases having two bases that are relatively shorter making the species more distinguished.

The Coontail is often seen floating on the surface of freshwater and in tropical locations. It does not have roots to secure it so it is a free-floating plant that attaches itself occasionally to other objects in the waters. A fluffy thread plant often provides cover for young newly hatched fish in the water.

It is propagated by cutting the plant and placing in a watery location. With the ease of dividing and producing more plants, the simple procedure makes this plant appealing for ecological endeavors to provide higher standards of plant life for the aquatic life in the regions. Enhancing and enriching many of the waters to improve the conditions that have deteriorated over the years, this plant offers many benefits to the water life and nature.

The coontail is renowned for passing substances that suppress algae often found in many slow moving waterways. The coontail helps to reduce the algae in the natural environments and with the home water gardens as well as is an attractive plant to add to the current water garden. The abilities to help reduce the natural algae growth has made this plant extremely appealing to homeowners adding water gardens to their homes.