Nuphar advena - Common Spatterdock

Family:	Nymphaeaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Width:	1.2
Synonyms:	Nuphar lutea advena. (Ait.)Kartesz.&Gandhi.
Range:	Eastern N. America - Labrador and Nova Scotia, south to Florida, Texas and Utah.

Nuphar advena (Common Spatterdock) is a Perennial and a width of 1.2m . It has a hardness rating of 3.
Common Spatterdock will flower in January to February. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Flies

Soil Information

Common Spatterdock will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Common Spatterdock prefers soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Common Spatterdock can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Tidal waters, pond margins and swamps[43].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Is a pond plant

Cultivation Details

A water plant requiring a rich soil and a sunny position. It is best if grown in still water that is up to 60cm deep but it also tolerates slow moving water[200]. Succeeds in light shade[200]. A very ornamental plant[1].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 3/5
Root - raw or cooked[2, 62, 161, 183]. The root can be soaked in water in order to remove a bitter taste[85]. After long boiling, it has a taste like sheep's liver[2]. The root can also be dried and ground into a powder then used as a thickener in soups, or can be added to cereal flours when making bread, cakes etc[85, 213]. Seed - raw or cooked. It can be roasted, then ground into a powder and eaten raw[213] or used to thicken soups etc[2, 62, 85, 183, 213]. The seed can also be toasted like popcorn[257].

• Root - includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
• Seed - includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 2/5
The fresh root is anodyne, astringent and demulcent[4]. The pulverized dried rhizomes have been used to arrest bleeding[213]. A tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of dysentery, diarrhoea etc[4]. A poultice made from the roots is used in the treatment of swellings, boils, tumours, inflamed skin etc[4, 257].

• Anodyne - Relieves pain, it is milder than an analgesic.
• Astringent - Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
• Demulcent - Soothes, lubricates and softens irritated tissues, especially the mucous membranes.
• Poultice - A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
• Styptic - An astringent that stops bleeding by contracting the blood vessels.

Propagation

Seed - sow as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse in pots submerged under 25mm of water. Prick out into individual pots as soon as the first true leaf appears and grow them on in water in a greenhouse for at least two years before planting them out in late spring. The seed is collected by wrapping the developing seed head in a muslin bag to avoid the seed being lost. Harvest it 10 days after it sinks below the soil surface or as soon as it reappears[200]. Division in May. Each portion must have at least one eye. Submerge in pots in shallow water until established[56].

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Gray's Manual of Botany.
Fernald. M. L.
Author: Fernald. M. L.
Rating:
Publisher : A bit dated but good and concise flora of the eastern part of N. America.
Date of Publication : 1950

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada
Britton. N. L. Brown. A.
Author: Britton. N. L. Brown. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Reprint of a 1913 Flora, but still a very useful book.
Date of Publication : 1970

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