Pickerelweed
Pontederia cordata
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Pontederiaceae
- Genus:
- Pontederia
- Species:
- Pontederia cordata
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 4-6 ft
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun, Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun, jul, aug, sep
- Bloom Colors:
- White, Blue, Purple
Native Range
United States: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Canada: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★★ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
- Bee Keystone:
- ★★★★★ Based on number of native bee species using this genus for pollen and nectar (Source: National Wildlife Federation)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Bellura gortynoides, Cattail Borer Moth (Bellura obliqua), Densa Bellura (Bellura densa), Purple-lined sallow (Pyrrhia exprimens)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), American bumble bee (Bombus pensylvanicus), Bombus bimaculatus (Bombus bimaculatus), Bombus bimaculatus (Bombus bimaculatus), Bombus borealis (Bombus borealis), Bombus borealis (Bombus borealis), Bombus griseocollis (Bombus griseocollis), Bombus griseocollis (Bombus griseocollis), Bombus impatiens (Bombus impatiens), Bombus impatiens (Bombus impatiens), Bombus spec (Bombus spec), Bombus ternarius (Bombus ternarius), Bombus ternarius (Bombus ternarius), Bombus terricola (Bombus terricola), Bombus terricola (Bombus terricola), Confusing bumble bee (Bombus perplexus), Confusing bumble bee (Bombus perplexus) Butterflies:Broad-winged Skipper (Poanes viator), Broad-winged Skipper (Poanes viator), Byssus Skipper (Problema byssus), Byssus Skipper (Problema byssus), (Pieris rapae), (Pieris rapae), Carolina Satyr (Hermeuptychia sosybius), Carolina Satyr (Hermeuptychia sosybius), Clouded Skipper (Lerema accius), Clouded Skipper (Lerema accius), Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae), Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae), Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), Crossline Skipper (Limochores Scudder), Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan), Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan), Dion Skipper (Euphyes dion), Dion Skipper (Euphyes dion), Dun Skipper (Euphyes vestris), Dun Skipper (Euphyes vestris), Duskywing sp. (Erynnis Schrank), Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas), Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Pterourus glaucus), Eufala Skipper (Lerodea eufala), Eufala Skipper (Lerodea eufala), Field Skipper (Atalopedes campestris), Field Skipper (Atalopedes campestris), Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Gulf Fritillary (Dione vanillae), Gulf Fritillary (Dione vanillae), Horace's Duskywing (Gesta Evans), Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes aesculapius), Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper (Amblyscirtes aesculapius), Least Skipper (Ancyloxypha numitor), Least Skipper (Ancyloxypha numitor), Little Glassywing (Vernia verna), Little Glassywing (Vernia verna), Little Yellow (Pyrisitia lisa), Little Yellow (Pyrisitia lisa), Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus), Long-tailed Skipper (Urbanus proteus), ⚠️Monarch (Danaus plexippus), Northern Broken-Dash (Polites egeremet), Ocola Skipper (Panoquina ocola), Ocola Skipper (Panoquina ocola), Palamedes Swallowtail (Pterourus palamedes), Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos), Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos), Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor), Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor), Red-spotted Admiral (Limenitis arthemis), Red-spotted Admiral (Limenitis arthemis), Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus), Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus), Sleepy Orange (Abaeis nicippe), Sleepy Orange (Abaeis nicippe), Spicebush Swallowtail (Pterourus troilus), Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta), Summer Azure (Celastrina neglecta), Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites themistocles), Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites themistocles), Tropical Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus oileus), Tropical Checkered-Skipper (Pyrgus oileus), Twin-spot Skipper (Oligoria maculata), Twin-spot Skipper (Oligoria maculata), Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia), Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia), Whirlabout (Polites vibex), Whirlabout (Polites vibex), Yehl Skipper (Poanes yehl), Yehl Skipper (Poanes yehl), Zabulon Skipper (Poanes zabulon), Zabulon Skipper (Poanes zabulon), Zarucco Duskywing (Erynnis zarucco), Zarucco Duskywing (Erynnis zarucco), Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus), Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, organic, moisture-retentive soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Commonly found in wetlands and along water bodies