Pickerelweed
- Shipping Available
- In stock, ready to ship
Pontederia cordata
A vigorous, deciduous, emergent marginal aquatic perennial that typically grows 2-4’ tall. It is native to quiet waters at stream and pond margins from Nova Scotia south to Florida and Texas. In the wild, it is frequently seen growing in dense colonies. Glossy, narrow, arrowhead-shaped green leaves (to 10” long) rise well above the water surface. Tiny, tubular soft blue flowers are densely packed into erect, 3-6” long spikes atop flower stalks typically rising 1-2’ above the water surface. Plants flower freely from June to October. Flowers give way to starchy seeds with distinctive toothed ridges. Flower spikes droop after bloom, releasing the distinctive seeds into the water. Seeds are edible off the plant or can be dried and added to granola cereals. Very young leaves can be used as salad greens. Dragonflies and damselflies commonly lay their eggs on plant stems near the water surface. Fish (albeit more than just pickerel) may seek shelter in clumps of these plants, hence the common name of pickerel weed.
Needs full sun for best flowering. Set plant roots in spring into mud at the margins of a pond or in containers (rich organic loams) in a water garden under 3-5” of water. Outside of containers, rhizomes can spread rapidly to form colonies under optimum growing conditions. If spread is a concern, grow plants in containers.
Height: 2'-4'
Spread: 1.5'-2'
Bloom: June-October
Light: Full Sun
Water: High
Zone: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Origin: Texas, Eastern North America to the Caribbean
Spring Shipping:
Orders are shipped within 7-10 business days. We will email you if there are expected delays.
When you order plants from our nursery, you can expect them to arrive in the best possible condition. Our team carefully packs each order using sturdy, biodegradable packaging materials.
Your plants' appearance may vary depending on the season and their current growth stage. We may cut back the leafy growth of some plants to prepare them for shipment and transplanting.
5 Gallon and Up: Any plant purchased to ship over 5 Gallons will be shipped bare root. This means we will remove the plant from its original pot, remove the soil surrounding the roots, and wrap the roots with a biodegradable plastic bag. This reduces weight and the likelihood of damage during shipping.
Once your plants arrive, it is essential to plant them as soon as possible. This will help them rebound and thrive. If you cannot plant immediately, water regularly and keep the roots off heat-conducting surfaces.
Newly transplanted plants often require more water until their roots are well established. Plan to water them 1-3 times weekly for the first few months.
