Pickerelweed
Pontederia cordata
Also listed as Pontederia lanceolata, Narukila cordata
Also known as Heart-leaved Pickerelweed, Moose-ear
Climate Match for your location
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A marginal aquatic perennial with glossy, heart-shaped leaves and striking purple-blue flower spikes. Ideal for pond edges, shallow water, and wet garden areas.
Why grow it
Pickerelweed offers reliable, long-season color for marginal pond plantings where many ornamental aquatics peter out by mid-summer. Its dense flower spikes and vigorous foliage provide structural interest and wildlife value, attracting pollinators and waterfowl while stabilizing shallow water margins better than delicate emergent species. It tolerates variable water depths and muddy substrate conditions that limit options for other showy perennials.
Watch out for
In ideal conditions, pickerelweed can spread vigorously through rhizomes and self-seeding, so containment in smaller water features may require regular division or planting in baskets. The plant performs best in consistently moist to wet conditions and will decline in prolonged dry periods, making it unsuitable for rain gardens or seasonal wetlands without supplemental water.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Pontederiaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A marginal aquatic perennial with glossy, heart-shaped leaves and striking purple-blue flower spikes. Ideal for pond edges, shallow water, and wet garden areas.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Pickerelweed grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Pickerelweed offers reliable, long-season color for marginal pond plantings where many ornamental aquatics peter out by mid-summer. Its dense flower spikes and vigorous foliage provide structural interest and wildlife value, attracting pollinators and waterfowl while stabilizing shallow water margins better than delicate emergent species. It tolerates variable water depths and muddy substrate conditions that limit options for other showy perennials.
Watch out for
In ideal conditions, pickerelweed can spread vigorously through rhizomes and self-seeding, so containment in smaller water features may require regular division or planting in baskets. The plant performs best in consistently moist to wet conditions and will decline in prolonged dry periods, making it unsuitable for rain gardens or seasonal wetlands without supplemental water.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Pontederiaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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