Northern Wildrice
Zizania palustris
- Native to:
- Canada, Mexico, Prince Edward I., United States
Matt Lavin (www.flickr.com) from Bozeman, Montana, USA






Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Zizania
- Species:
- Zizania palustris
- USDA Symbol:
- ZIPA3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 300 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- waterfowl, birds, muskrats, fish
- Fall Color:
- yellow
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, organic, waterlogged soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Commonly found in shallow freshwater marshes and lakes.
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 90–120 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds must remain continuously moist or submerged; they lose viability rapidly if allowed to dry. Best sown directly in shallow water in fall.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds were cold stratified for 180 days
Source: npn.rngr.net