Wildflower Spot – October 2010 John Clayton Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society Pontederia cordata Pontederiaceae (Water-hyacinth Family) Pickerel-WeedPresident of the John Clayton Chapter, VNPS By Helen Hamilton, In late summer and fall, the tall blue spikes of Pickerel-Weed are distinctive in aquatic habi- tats. Blooming from the bottom up, the deep long,blue flowersheart-shaped are nectar leaves. sources for butterflies. This native perennial is often 3 feet tall, with fromA good Nova wetland Scotia plant, to Minnesota Pickerel-weed to South grows Amer in- ica.marshes, It is found shallow in thewater coastal and freshwaterand piedmont ditches, counties in Virginia, and blooms June-Novem- ber. The preferred growing conditions are full to partial sun and shallow water to wet mucky soil. Pickerel-weed is an emergent aquatic plant that doesn’t like to dry out. liketimes nuts. been eaten raw in salads or boiled and The large edible seeds are eaten occasionally - served with butter, and the seeds can be eaten by various ducks, including the mallard, black The common name suggests that this plant, as onduck, the green-winged foliage. When teal, this andplant wood forms duck. dense Musk rats and white-tailed deer occasionally browse same habitat. well as the fish known as pickerel, occupy the colonies, it provides cover for fish and other This species is related to the infamous Water aquatic wildlife. Eichhornia crassipes thatPickerel-weed can be eaten has straight often been from used the plantfor food. or Hyacinth ( ), which clogs driedEach fruit and addedcontains to agranola nutritious, and otherstarchy cereals. seed waterways in many areas of southeastern The dried seeds can also be boiled, roasted or United States. The introduced Water Hyacinth - has similar v blue-violet flowers (although larger in size), but it has stubby leaves that float on Photo:ground into flour. The youngPontederia leaves havecordata) some water. For more information about native plants visit . Pickerel-weed ( taken by Helen Hamilton www.vnps.org.