Alisima subcordatum Water Plantain
General
An obligate wetland plant with almost heart-shaped leaves and tiny white flowers. Water plantain is a food source for waterfowl, beavers, and muskrats. Historically, it has been used by different Native American groups for minor injuries and indigestion.
Plant Description
Usually growing under 2 feet. Found most commonly on wet soils and shallow water. Small white flowers with three petals and sepals each. Ovate or heart shaped leaves. Smooth, light green foliage. While the plant can grow in shallow water, the leaves will not grow under water.
Height (ft)
0.5-2
Soil moisture
High
Soil types
Fine to medium textures, muddy soils
Wetland indicator
OBL
Shade tolerance
Intolerant, Full sun
Bloom color
White
Bloom period
Summer
Drought tolerance
None
Salinity tolerance
None
Distribution
Eastern United States, from Maine to Minnesota in the north and North Carolina to Oklahoma in the south.
Additional information
Brown, Lauren. Grasses: An Identification Guide. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York City, 1979. LINK
Fassett, Norman C. A Manual of Aquatic Plants, First Edition. McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York and London, 1940. LINK
Garbisch, Edgar W., and McIninch, Suzanne M. Propagation of Wetland Plants: Herbaceous Plants, Shrubs and Trees. Environmental Concern, Inc. 2003. LINK
Harris, James G., and Harris, Melinda Woolf. Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated Glossary, Second Edition. Spring Lake Publishing, Spring Lake, Utah. 2011. LINK
Hitchcock, A.S., and Chase, Agnes. Manual of the Grasses of the United States, Second Edition, Volume I. Dover Publications, Inc., New York, 1971. LINK
Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2015. North American Plant Atlas. (http://bonap.net/napa). Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2015. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press) LINK
McKenny, Margaret and Peterson, Roger Tory. A Field Guide to Wildflowers of Northeastern and North-central North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1968. LINK
Newcomb, Lawrence. Newcomb's Wildflower Guide. Laurence Newcomb, Mexico. 1977. LINK
USDA, NRCS. 2021. PLANTS Database (https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/, 08/20/2021). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA. LINK