Pontederia cordata - Pickerel Weed

Family:	Pontederiaceae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	0.75
Width:	0.45
Synonyms:
Range:	Eastern N. America - Nova Scotia to Florida andTexas. A garden escape occ naturalized in Britain[17]

Pontederia cordata (Pickerel Weed) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 0.75m and a width of 0.45m . It has a hardness rating of 3.
Pickerel Weed will flower in January to March. The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Bees

Soil Information

Pickerel Weed 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
Pickerel Weed prefers soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Pickerel Weed should not be planted in shady areas.

Marshes and borders of muddy ponds[55].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Is a pond plant
• A bog garden plant

Cultivation Details

A water or bog garden plant, it requires a rich soil[56] and prefers growing in water 15 - 30 cm deep[1]. Plants are hardy to about -25°c[187]. A very ornamental plant, it forms spreading patches by means of a thick creeping rhizome[187]. There is a species of bee (Dufourea novae-angliae) which visits this plant for nectar and pollen and does not visit any other species of plant[103].

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 3/5
Seed - raw, cooked like rice or dried and ground into a powder[55, 62, 106, 183]. An very acceptable nutty flavour and texture when raw, they are said to be excellent if the seed is lightly roasted in an oven[183]. Young leafstalks - raw or cooked[62]. The whole plant is edible cooked or raw[106]. It can be added to salads, cooked like spinach or added to soups[183].

• Leaves -
• Seed - includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 1/5
An infusion of the plant has been used as a contraceptive[257].

• Contraceptive - Prevents fertilization occurring in females.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in pots standing in 2cm of water in a cold frame. Cover the seed lightly with silver sand. Submerse in 3cm depth of water after the seedlings emerge[200]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in water in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division is best in April but it can be done at almost any time of the year[1]. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer. Lateral shoots.

Known Hazards

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

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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