Pontederia lanceolata Nutt.

Scientific Name: Pontederia lanceolata Nutt.


Classification: Plantae/ Tracheobionta / Spermatophyta / Magnoliophyta / Liliopsida / Liliidae / Liliales / Pontederiaceae / Pontederia L./ Pontederia lanceolata Nutt.

<i>Pontederia lanceolata</i> Nutt.
General Information
Usda SymbolPOLA17
GroupMonocot
Life CyclePerennial
Growth HabitsForb/herb
Native LocationsPOLA17

Plant Guide

Use a soil moisture meter to monitor the soil moisture where Pontederia lanceolata Nutt. is planted.

Fact Sheet

Uses

Pickerelweed forms large colonies along shallow shorelines. The emergent mass of stems and leaves provide wave-buffering protection. Although slow to spread, the root base of this plant thoroughly covers the sediments with a tough vegetative mat. The seed of pickerelweed is eaten by waterfowl. Geese and muskrats will consume the vegetation, while only fish, and to a lesser extent birds and small mammals, utilize flooded foliage for cover. This species is also used extensively in water gardening, due to its showy violet to blue flowers.

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e.g. threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

Description

Pontederia cordata is a stout perennial herbaceous emergent that can reach four feet tall. The light green stems and leaves emerge annually from a thick pad of fibrous roots. These roots give rise to short creeping rhizomes, allowing the plant to spread. The waxy leaves develop at the ends of stems, and are highly variable in shape and size. Their shape will range from oval to lance-like, with size varying 2 to 10 inches long and 1/2 to 6 inches wide. Leaf veins are orientated in a parallel arrangement starting at the base. The compound, violet to blue flowers emerge from an erect spike. The spike will grow to 6 inches in length. The showy flowers appear anywhere from May to October over much of its range. The corky fruit produced by these flowers is oblong and one seeded.

Adaptation and Distribution

Distribution , Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Pontederia lanceolata Nutt..

Distribution

The natural distribution of pickerelweed is from Nova Scotia to Minnesota, south to Florida and Texas. This plant is typically found growing in the unconsolidated sediments of marshes, streams, shallow lakes, and ponds. It tolerates low fertility and partial sunlight and temporary inundation to 20 inches, but flourishes in fully exposed fertile soils (pH: 6.0 to 8.0), and permanently inundated up to 12 inches deep in freshwater (<3 parts per thousand salinity .). Robert H. Mohlenbrock USDA, NRCS 1995 Northeast Wetland Flora @ USDA NRCS PLANTS For a current distribution map, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Website.

Establishment

In the wild, pickerelweed is predominantly established from seed; there are approximately 5,000 cleaned seeds per pound. The seeds are dispersed by wind, water, and animals to favorable moist unconsolidated sites, where they establish. Similar processes can be mimicked by humans on-site, in nursery beds or greenhouses. Cool moist stratification of the seed is necessary to trigger adequate germination of spring seedings. Utilizing a seeding rate of 20-30 live seeds per square foot will result in the best establishment and development of a stand. Although vegetative dispersal is less frequent in nature, scale-like root corms are located near the soil surface or sometimes exposed and easily separate from the parent plant. When harvested these corms can be planted as bare-foot stock or containerized transplants. Bare-rooted material is typically small and manageable enough to plant using standard hand tools (spade, dibble, planting bar, etc.) Read about Civil Rights at the Natural Resources Convervation Service.

Plant Traits

Growth Requirements

Temperature, Minimum (°F)-23
Adapted to Coarse Textured SoilsYes
Adapted to Fine Textured SoilsYes
Adapted to Medium Textured SoilsYes
Anaerobic ToleranceHigh
CaCO3 ToleranceMedium
Cold Stratification RequiredNo
Drought ToleranceNone
Fertility RequirementMedium
Frost Free Days, Minimum110
Hedge ToleranceNone
Moisture UseHigh
pH, Maximum8.7
pH, Minimum4.9
Planting Density per Acre, Maxim3700
Planting Density per Acre, Minim2728
Precipitation, Maximum60
Precipitation, Minimum40
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)10
Salinity ToleranceLow
Shade ToleranceIntolerant


Morphology/Physiology

After Harvest Regrowth RateSlow
ToxicityNone
Resprout AbilityNo
Shape and OrientationErect
Active Growth PeriodSpring
BloatNone
Coppice PotentialNo
Fall ConspicuousNo
Fire ResistantNo
Flower ColorBlue
Flower ConspicuousYes
Foliage ColorGreen
Foliage Porosity SummerModerate
Foliage Porosity WinterPorous
Fruit/Seed ConspicuousNo
Growth FormBunch
Growth RateModerate
Height, Mature (feet)3.2
Known AllelopathNo
Leaf RetentionNo
LifespanModerate
Low Growing GrassNo
Nitrogen FixationNone
Foliage TextureCoarse


Reproduction

Propagated by SeedYes
Propagated by SodNo
Propagated by SprigsYes
Propagated by TubersNo
Seed per Pound5000
Fruit/Seed Period EndFall
Seed Spread RateRapid
Seedling VigorMedium
Small GrainNo
Vegetative Spread RateNone
Propagated by CormNo
Propagated by ContainerNo
Propagated by BulbNo
Propagated by Bare RootNo
Fruit/Seed PersistenceYes
Fruit/Seed Period BeginSummer
Fruit/Seed AbundanceMedium
Commercial AvailabilityRoutinely Available
Bloom PeriodLate Spring
Propagated by CuttingsNo


Suitability/Use

Veneer ProductNo
Pulpwood ProductNo
Post ProductNo
Palatable HumanNo
Palatable Graze AnimalMedium
Nursery Stock ProductNo
Naval Store ProductNo
Lumber ProductNo
Fodder ProductNo
Christmas Tree ProductNo
Berry/Nut/Seed ProductNo

<i>Pontederia lanceolata</i> Nutt.

<i>Pontederia lanceolata</i> Nutt.

<i>Pontederia lanceolata</i> Nutt.

<i>Pontederia lanceolata</i> Nutt.

<i>Pontederia lanceolata</i> Nutt.

<i>Pontederia lanceolata</i> Nutt.

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