broadleaf arrowhead

Sagittaria latifolia

Broadleaf arrowhead is a fun plant that grows in wet areas like ponds and marshes. Its big, arrow-shaped leaves are easy to spot and it produces pretty white flowers that attract butterflies!

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The broadleaf arrowhead has large, distinctively arrow-shaped leaves that can float or emerge upright from the water. Its small, three-petaled white flowers feature a prominent yellow center, blooming in whorls around a central stalk.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassLiliopsidaOrderAlismatalesFamilyAlismataceaeGenusSagittaria

broadleaf arrowhead

Interesting facts

Did you know some call its edible tubers 'duck potatoes'?

Indigenous people called its tubers 'wapato,' a crucial starchy food source.

Its tiny, round seeds are covered in ridges, helping them float for long journeys!

Muskrats, beavers, and waterfowl dig up and feast on its energy-rich tubers!

Special abilities

Broadleaf arrowhead can thrive in watery habitats thanks to its ability to grow fully submerged, emergent, or with floating leaves.

Broadleaf arrowhead has starchy tubers that grow underground, storing energy and allowing it to survive harsh conditions and reproduce.

Broadleaf arrowhead can disperse its small, winged seeds by water currents, allowing it to spread to new wetland areas effectively.

Measurements & details

Height: 30-150 cm
Spread: 30-90 cm
Flower Size: 1-3 cm
Bloom Season: July-September
Edible: Yes
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

eaten by

Mallard duck

Anas platyrhynchos

Ducks love to forage for its nutritious tubers in mud.

eaten by

Muskrat

Ondatra zibethicus

Muskrats consume its starchy tubers and rhizomes.

pollinates

European honey bee

Apis mellifera

Honey bees visit its flowers for nectar and pollen.

pollinates

Common Eastern Bumblebee

Bombus impatiens

Bumblebees help pollinate its white summer flowers.

Traits

Deciduous

Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.

Flowering

Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.

Summer Blooming

Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.

Edible

Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.

Pollinator Magnet

Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.