Alisma subcordatum
Alisma subcordatum
American water plantain
- Plant type and subtype:
- Perennials
- Hardiness Zone:
- 3,
- 4,
- 5,
- 6,
- 7,
- 8
- Light Requirements:
- sun
- Height: 3'-4'
- Leaf Color:
- green
- Bloom Color:
- white,
- pink
- Bloom Time:
- Jun,
- Jul,
- Aug,
- Sep,
- Oct
- Water Use:
- high
- Soil Moisture:
- wet
- Soil Description:
- rich,
- loam,
- sand,
- clay
- Additional Tags:
- bog plant,
- colonizing,
- edible,
- emergent,
- naturalizing,
- pond margin plant,
- stream margin plant,
- swamp plant,
- water garden plant,
- wetland plant
- Description:
Alisma subcordatum has bright-green, lance-shaped, veined basal leaves that grow on 6" stalks. Plants produce an erect, 3' to 4' tall multi-branched stem. Each branchlet is terminated by a small white or pinkish flower.
- Cultivation:
American water plantain is an emergent species, meaning it requires regular to permanent inundation to thrive. It typically grows in standing or slow moving freshwater, in mucky, sometimes sandy soil, and in full sun. It will slowly form a colony via its corm-like roots. It will also spread from seeds, but only under ideal conditions. An ideal plant for small ponds or water gardens where its non aggressive habit will make virtually carefree. It enjoys a broad native distribution, and bloom times will vary according to geographic location, from June to October. Zones 3-8
- Propagation:
Easy to propagated by dividing the clumps and separating the corms. Can be propagated from seed following strict protocols...a much more difficult proposition.
- Additional Notes:
The tuberous, corm-like starchy roots are edible.
Map of Native Range
- Range by State: USDA data
- Recorded County Distribution: USDA data
*The map of native range is based on the latest available USDA data.
There may be gaps in the county level distribution.
AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV
Classification
| Kingdom: | Plantae | Plants |
| Subkingdom: | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants |
| Superdivision: | Spermatophyta | Seed plants |
| Division: | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants |
| Class: | Liliopsida | Monocotyledons |
| Subclass: | Alismatidae | |
| Order: | Alismatales | |
| Family: | Alismataceae | Water-plantain family |
| Genus: | Alisma | water plantain |
| Species: | Alisma subcordatum | American water plantain |
| Synonyms: |
USDA Endangered Status
| N/A |
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