# Golden Club (*Orontium aquaticum*) The Golden Club is a special plant that grows in wet areas like swamps and marshes. It has bright yellow flowers that look like little clubs and can be found near water. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Golden Club](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Orontium_aquaticum_1_-_Buffalo_Botanical_Gardens.jpg&width=800) Photo: Dave Pape, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Orontium_aquaticum_1_-_Buffalo_Botanical_Gardens.jpg) ## Appearance The Golden Club has striking, deep golden-yellow, club-like flower spikes that rise dramatically above the water, uniquely lacking a visible spathe. Its velvety, bluish-green oval leaves often float on the surface, making it look distinct from other aquatic plants. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Alismatales - **Family:** Araceae - **Genus:** Orontium ## Interesting facts - Ancient peoples once processed its seeds into flour, but only after carefully roasting them! - Its bright golden 'club' flower lacks the typical protective sheath found on many related plants! - Its golden 'club' is actually a dense cluster of hundreds of tiny individual flowers! - The Golden Club has striking blue-green leaves that repel water, making them feel soft and velvety! ## Special abilities - **Root Anchor:** Golden Club has specialized roots that firmly anchor it in muddy wetland soils, helping it resist strong water currents. - **Water Repellent Coat:** Golden Club's leaves have a waxy, velvety coating that repels water, allowing them to float and breathe efficiently. - **Crystal Defender:** Golden Club can produce tiny calcium oxalate crystals that deter herbivores from munching on its leaves and stems. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 15-45 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 5-10 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Drone Fly (*Syrphus ribesii*) — Visits flowers for pollen and nectar. - **Eaten by:** [Muskrat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/muskrat) (*Ondatra zibethicus*) — May graze on various aquatic plants, including the roots. - **Shelter:** [Green Frog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/green-frog) (*Lithobates clamitans*) — Hides among its floating leaves near the water's edge. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem. - [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. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [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. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [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 look but don't touch plants in the wild, as some can be prickly or harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Golden Club? 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 Golden Club? 15-45 cm ### How wide does Golden Club spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Golden Club? 5-10 cm ### When does Golden Club bloom? Spring to early Summer ### Is Golden Club edible? No ### Is Golden Club toxic? Mild ### What is Golden Club's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Berkshire Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berkshire-botanical-garden) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden - [Chanticleer Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chanticleer-garden) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden - [Belleplain State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/belleplain-state-forest) — New Jersey, US · Forest - [Rugby](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rugby) — Tennessee, US · Neighborhood - [Paul B Johnson State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/paul-b-johnson-state-park) — Mississippi, US · State Park [View all places to see Golden Club](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/golden-club) ## 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: [Golden Club: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/golden-club)