|
Home  /  Plants  /  Budburst Species  /  Sagittaria latifolia

COMMON NAME

Arrowhead root

SCIENTIFIC NAME

Sagittaria latifolia

ALSO KNOWN AS

Wapato, Duck Potato, Waabiziipin (Ojibwe)

Plant family

Water-plantain (Alismataceae)

Plant group

Wildflowers and Herbs

Known as waabiziipin by the Ojibwe. Grows in creeks, rivers, ditches, lakes and other places where there is shallow water.
72 reports
13+
OBSERVERS
72+
OBSERVATIONS
!

Identification hints

Arrowhead Root can be found along stream and river banks in intertidal mudflats and other wet areas. It is a perennial aquatic herb with distinctive succulent green arrow-shaped leaves that grow alternately from a rhizome. Each leaf grows on one stem. The whole plant can reach heights of up to 3 ft. Arrowhead flowers bloom in sets of 3 on a central stem from July through September. Each flower has three white petals up to an inch long with many stamens. Walnut-sized edible tubers develop on roots/rhizomes from the central part of the plant. These tubers contain a milky juice.
?

Did you know?

Arrowhead Root is an important aquatic and riparian plant. It provides cover for aquatic insects and fish, while the seeds and tubers (root structures) provide food for many species of waterfowl, songbirds, and aquatic mammals like beavers. Traditionally the over-wintering part of the rootstock, called the corm, was eaten to treat indigestion and as a source of food for the Ojibwe people.
DISTRIBUTION IN TH U.S.
There is no information available about this species.
HABITAT
There is no information available about this species.

Do your part for our planet. Join Budburst today.

Stay Informed

Get in Touch

Have any questions or new ideas
you'd like to share?

Contact Us

Get the App

  1. Creative Commons
    BY-NC-SA 4.0
  2. Terms of Use
  3. Privacy Policy
  4. Data Sharing and Citation Policies
  5. 2021 Chicago Botanic Garden. All Rights Reserved.