Plant Details

Pontederia cordata

Pickerel Weed

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Common names

29 names · 22 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Moose-ear[1]
  • Pickerel Weed[1]
  • pickerelweed[1]
Other languages (21)
Dutch
  • Moerashyacint[1]
French
  • Pontédérie cordée
  • Pontédérie à feuilles cordées[1]
Afrikaans
  • Jongsnoekkruid[1]
Catalan
  • Pontedèria[1]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 北美梭魚草[1]
  • 梭魚草[1]
Czech
  • modráska srdčitá[1]
Danish
  • hjertevandkærte[1]
Finnish
  • herttasoikko[1]
German
  • Herzblättriges Hechtkraut[1]
Hungarian
  • Tömött sellővirág[1]
Japanese
  • ナガバミズアオイ[1]
Polish
  • Rozpław sercolistny[1]
  • Rozpław sercowaty[1]
Portuguese
  • Aguapé-de-Coração[1]
Russian
  • Понтедерия сердцевидная[1]
Slovak
  • pontedéria srdcovitá[1]
Spanish
  • Camalote[1]
  • Espigas de agua[1]
  • Lirio del agua[1]
Swedish
  • pontederia[1]
Thai
  • ช่อครามน้ำ[1]
Turkish
  • Pontederya[1]
Ukrainian
  • Понтедерія серцеподібна[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Pontederia cordata — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • pickerelweed — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • 梭魚草 — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • 北美梭魚草 — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Pickerel weed — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Espigas de agua — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Pontédérie à feuilles cordées — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Herzblättriges Hechtkraut — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Moerashyacint — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • modráska srdčitá — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • 梭鱼草 — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Понтедерия сердцевидная — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Camalote — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Lirio del agua — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • pontederia — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Jongsnoekkruid — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • ช่อครามน้ำ — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Moose-ear — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Rozpław sercowaty — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Rozpław sercolistny — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • hjertevandkærte — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • herttasoikko — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Pontedèria — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • ナガバミズアオイ — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • pontedéria srdcovitá — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Tömött sellővirág — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Aguapé-de-Coração — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Понтедерія серцеподібна — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.
  • Pontederya — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 52599; Pontederia cordata.

General information

Scientific name: Pontederia cordata
Accepted name (Kew): Pontederia cordata L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Botanical family: Pontederiaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Pontederia (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Pickerel Weed
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Aquatic
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.61–1.22 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [2]
Spread: 0.46–0.61 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [2]
Growth rate: Fast
Sources [2]
Foliage: Deciduous
Sources [2]
Growth habit: Clumping, Erect, Spreading

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [2]
Life cycle: Perennial
Sources [2]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [2]
Soil moisture:
Frequent Standing Water, Moist, Occasionally Wet

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [2]
Soil:
Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand
Sources [2]
pH:
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [2]
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [2]

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Seed
Edibility rating:
(3)
Medicinal rating:
(1)
Functions:
None

Description

Seeds: can be eaten raw and can also be cooked like rice. The seeds can be dried and then ground into a powder. They have a pleasant nutty flavor and are delicious lightly roasted in the oven. Young leaf stems: edible both raw and cooked. The leaf stems are a tasty addition to salads and can also be prepared like spinach or added to soups.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/09
Harvest ends: 31/10

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1147745; name ID 259440; Pontederia L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1147762; name ID 259449; Pontederia cordata L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Pontederia cordata — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth rateFoliageGrowth habitLife cycleLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .