Pickerelweed Pond Plant - Care & Grow Guide
by Tory Jon | Last Updated: November 16, 2022
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Pickerelweed is a beautiful plant with violet flowers that you will simply adore! You'll find this sizeable plant throughout Canada, North America, and even the Caribbean!
The uniqueness of this plant comes from the large 10" arrow-shaped stems and violet flowers. Pickerelweed is a fairly large pond plant, reaching about three feet (1 meter) and up to 4 feet in the right conditions.
The name for this plant is derived from the pickerel fish, commonly known as the northern pike, which finds shade among the thick stems and leaves of this plant.
The nectar this plant produces attracts bees, butterflies, dragonflies, and damselflies, which not only adds a living element to your pond but is also good for the environment.
Invasive Potential: Low. Pickerelweed is Pontederia cordata, a native marginal pond plant in much of eastern North America. Native status still depends on location, so confirm local guidance before adding it to outdoor ponds.
Use containers if the pond connects to wetlands or can flood, and avoid moving seed heads or rhizome divisions into natural water bodies. Use USDA aquatic invasive plant guidance as a starting point and confirm current requirements with your state agriculture or natural resources agency. Never release unwanted pond plants, roots, seeds, rhizomes, or trimmings into lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, drainage ditches, storm drains, or natural ponds.
Scientific Name
Pontederia cordata
Invasive Potential
Low
Common Names
Pickerel weed, pickerel rush
Plant Type
Marginal plant/bog plant
Light Requirements
Full sun
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zone 3 - 10
Bloom
June through late October
Grow Up To
4 ft tall in the right conditions
Flower Color
Blue, violet
How to Plant Pickerelweed in a Pond
Pickerelweed is best planted in pots with potting media and a thin layer of small gravel on top (to keep the media from floating out into your pond) and placed around the marginal areas of your pond in 3 to 5 inches of water. Make sure it's in a spot that gets ample sunlight.
Pickerelweed Care Guide
Pickerelweed thrives as long as it has direct sun and water, which usually isn't an issue for most backyard pond settings.
Just keep in mind that Pickerelweed is a fast grower and will require regular trimming to prevent it from choking out other plants in your pond. Be sure to remove and properly discard any clippings away from the water so they don't decompose in your pond and potentially cause water quality issues.
Pickerelweed is a hardy plant and will typically overwinter in your outdoor pond without a problem. Simply ensure the plant's crown is underwater and doesn't freeze over.
Responsible Disposal
Never release pickerelweed plants, roots, seeds, rhizomes, or trimmings into lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, drainage ditches, storm drains, or natural ponds. Do not dump pond or aquarium water containing plant fragments into natural waterways.
Pickerelweed can spread by seed and rhizome division. Dry and bag seed heads, roots, and rhizome pieces, and do not dump pond water with plant fragments into natural waterways.
Pickerelweed Care Card
Download our free printable care card for Pickerelweed! Click the care card below and save the PDF file to your computer. You can easily print off the 3x5 care card or access it right from your phone.
Pond Plant Care Card Set
Get the full printable set of 23 pond plant care cards in one PDF. The cards are formatted for quick reference on your phone or easy 3x5 printing.
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