Pontederia cordata - Pickerelweed

Characteristics: Herbaceous perennial with heart-shaped leaves; violet-blue flowers in spikes from June to November; some interest to black and wood ducks.

Flowers: June to November

Fruit: Numerous single-seeded bladder-like fruits on each stalk

Growth: up to 3.5 feet , medium rate of spread (+/- 0.5 ft per year)

Shade: full sun to partial shade

Habitat: fresh to moderately brackish tidal marshes, nontidal marshes, shallow water of ponds and lakes.

Hydrology: Obligate wetland, fresh to moderately brackish water; up to 3 ppt, upper 50% of the intertidal zone. Regularly to permanently inundated up to 1 ft. or saturated approximately 26 to 100% of the growing season.

Range: Nova Scotia to Ontario and Minnesota, south to northern Florida and Texas.

Comments: Flowers attract butterflies.