Scientific Name:
Pontederia cordata
Pronunciation:
pon-tuh-DEER-ee-uh kor-DAY-tuh
Common Name:
pickerel weed
Family Name:
Pontederiaceae
Plant Type:
Aquatic plant, Herbaceous perennial, Invasive plant
Key ID Features:
Leaves alternate, blades ovate-lanceolate, base cordate-sagittate (arrow-head shaped), most 15-25cm long x 6-10cm wide, margin entire, glossy; flowers soft blue spike in summer (white cultivar available).
Habit:
Spreading, Upright
Form:
Creeping / Mat-like
Texture:
Coarse
Mature Height:
0.7 - 1.3m
Mature Spread:
0.3 - 0.6m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
Caribbean Island, U.S. - northeast
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 3: (-40 to -34 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun
Soil/Growing Medium:
Bog
Water Use:
Aquatic, Wetlands
Landscape Uses:
Aquatic - ponds, Attract beneficial insects, Attract butterflies, Container planting, Herb, Wetland - bogs
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Alternate
Texture/Venation:
Leathery, Parallel venation
Surfaces:
Glabrous, Lustrous
Colour in Summer:
Dark-green
Shapes:
Lanceolate, Ovate
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Cordate, Sagittate, Sheathing
Margins:
Entire
Inflorescence Type:
Spike
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
3
Corolla Shape:
Bilabiate
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White, Blue
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
Jul, Aug, Sep
Additional Info:
Six tepals
Fruit Type:
Achene, Edible
Fruit Colour:
Brown
Fruiting Time:
Sep, Oct
Additional Info:
Showy, Edible, nutlet
Bark or Stem Colour:
Green
Organ Modifications:
Rhizomes
Propagation:
Seed, Cuttings, Division - below ground parts
Maintenance:
Medium
Other:
remove dead foliage after frost
Pest Susceptibility:
(Pest resistant, Disease resistant)
