Pickerel Weed Plant Profile

Pickerel Weed Plant Profile

Pickerel Weed (Pontederia cordata) is a perennial plant that is used commonly in water gardens. It is hardy to USDA zones 3 to 10. The upright plants are a nice contrast to other aquatic plants that stay low on the pond surface such as waterlilies.

It has long-lasting flowers that are a blue-purple color and grow on spikes taller than the surrounding foliage. The blooms are loved by pollinators and the flower seeds are eaten by birds. Dragonflies deposit eggs on the stems. The bright-green leaves are shaped like a lance head.

Pickerel Weed is native from eastern Canada through South America. It is found in wetland areas and along the edges of lakes and ponds. It is used in retention ponds to filter the water and provide protection for wildlife.

Plant it in a clay soil mix. It should be placed in full sun and submerged under several inches of water.  Do not let it dry out nor let the water level go higher than the base portion of the leaves.

It can quickly form a small colony if you left it, so it is best to keep it in a large container. Pickerel Weed is easy to propagate by digging up a clump and dividing it. It can also be started from seed.

Pickerel Weed: You Can Grow That!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine as part of our Plant Profile series for Mid-Atlantic USA gardeners.

Audio and text by Kathy Jentz

Video and editing by Taylor Edwards

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