Plant Library

Other Names:  Duck Potato

Description:

This native wetland plant features upright, arrowhead shaped green leaves; spreads by tuberous runners into a large colony; racemes of white flowers in summer; an excellent pond or container plant

Ornamental Features

Broadleaf Arrowhead features dainty racemes of white flowers rising above the foliage from early to late summer. Its attractive textured pointy leaves remain green in color throughout the season. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.

Landscape Attributes

Broadleaf Arrowhead is an herbaceous perennial with a low habit of growth, spreading atop the surface of the water. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Broadleaf Arrowhead is ideally suited for growing in a pond, water garden or patio water container, and is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Water Gardens
• Container Planting
• Bog Gardens

Planting & Growing

Broadleaf Arrowhead will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity extending to 3 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 4 feet. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the water, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. As an aquatic plant, it requires a suitable water garden environment and will benefit from special planting and ongoing care practices; consult one of our in-store experts for further details and instructions. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America. It can be propagated by division.

Broadleaf Arrowhead is a fine choice for the water garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when grown in outdoor pots and containers, aquatic plants like this one will require a special growing environment that meets their requirement for consistent moisture.