Annual Wildrice
Zizania aquatica
- Native to:
- Canada, Prince Edward I., United States
R. A. Nonenmacher
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Zizania
- Species:
- Zizania aquatica
- USDA Symbol:
- ZIAQ
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 300 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Food Forest:
- Contains edible parts
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Faronta diffusa, Rice worm moth (Apamea apamiformis), Rusty Shoulder-knot (Apamea sordens), Broad-winged Skipper (Poanes viator)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- waterfowl, birds, muskrats, fish
- Fall Color:
- yellow
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- fertile, waterlogged, organic-rich soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Commonly found in marshes and along riverbanks
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–28 days
- Notes:
- Seeds must remain continuously wet and cold; they lose viability rapidly if allowed to dry. Best sown fresh in fall into shallow water.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds were cold stratified for 182 days.
Source: npn.rngr.net