# 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! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 3 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![broadleaf arrowhead](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Sagittaria_latifolia.jpg&width=800) Photo: Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sagittaria_latifolia.jpg) ## 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Alismatales - **Family:** Alismataceae - **Genus:** Sagittaria ## 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 - **Water Dweller:** Broadleaf arrowhead can thrive in watery habitats thanks to its ability to grow fully submerged, emergent, or with floating leaves. - **Starchy Stores:** Broadleaf arrowhead has starchy tubers that grow underground, storing energy and allowing it to survive harsh conditions and reproduce. - **Water Travel:** 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/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. - [Freshwater](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/freshwater): Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash your hands after touching plants, just to be safe! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify broadleaf arrowhead? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is broadleaf arrowhead? 30-150 cm ### How wide does broadleaf arrowhead spread? 30-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on broadleaf arrowhead? 1-3 cm ### When does broadleaf arrowhead bloom? July-September ### Is broadleaf arrowhead edible? Yes ### Is broadleaf arrowhead toxic? None ### What is broadleaf arrowhead's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [South Newbury Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/south-newbury-village-historic-district) — New Hampshire, US · Historic District - [Bayley Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bayley-historic-district) — New Hampshire, US · Historic District - [Beverly Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/beverly-historic-district) — West Virginia, US · Historic District - [Pullman National Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pullman-national-historical-park) — Illinois, US · National Park - [Lenclair Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lenclair-park) — Virginia, US · Park [View all places to see broadleaf arrowhead](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/broadleaf-arrowhead) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Broadleaf Arrowhead: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/broadleaf-arrowhead)