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| Category: Perennial |
| Family: Pontederiaceae (Water-hyacinth) |
| Origin: North America, East Coast (North America) |
| Flower Color: Blue |
| Bloomtime: Summer |
| Height: 3-4 feet |
| Width: 2-3 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Aquatic |
| Winter Hardiness: <15° F |
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Pontederia cordata (Aquatic) (Pickerel Weed) - Pickerel weed is a vigorous, deciduous, emergent marginal aquatic perennial that typically grows 2-4' tall. It is native to quiet waters at stream and pond margins from Nova Scotia south to Florida and Texas. In the wild, it is frequently seen growing in dense colonies. Glossy, narrow, arrowhead-shaped green leaves, up to 10 inches long, have rounded cordate bases and rise well above the water surface. Tiny, tubular soft blue flowers (sometimes white) are densely packed into erect, 3 to 6 inch long spikes atop flower stalks typically rising 1 to 2 feet above the water surface. Plants flower freely from June to October. Flowers give way to starchy seeds with distinctive toothed ridges. Flower spikes droop after bloom, releasing the distinctive seeds into the water. Seeds are edible off the plant or can be dried and added to granola cereals. Very young leaves can be used as salad greens. Dragonflies and damselflies commonly lay their eggs on plant stems near the water surface. Fish (albeit more than just pickerel) may seek shelter in clumps of these plants, hence the common name of pickerel weed.
The information about Pontederia cordata that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.
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