Vallisneria americana
Wild Celery
General
A submerged aquatic plant growing mainly in ponds and calmly flowing waters. A food source for a variety of aquatic creatures. Despite its common name, Wild Celery does not closely resemble the edible, stiff crop, and is not a food source for humans. It is commonly cultivated for use in ornamental aquariums. Wild celery has some salinity tolerance, but will grow best with no salinity.
Plant Description
Basal, linear, flat leaves grow up to 1' tall underwater. Sometimes growing small white flowers above the surface, but mostly spreading underwater via cloning.
Height (ft)
1' (underwater)
Soil moisture
Water
Soil types
Sandy or mucky underwater soils
Wetland indicator
OBL
Shade tolerance
Intolerant, Full Sun
Bloom color
White
Bloom period
Summer
Drought tolerance
None
Salinity tolerance
Low
Range
Common throughout the northeastern United States, and along the Great Lakes. Not found in the Midwest.
Kartesz, J.T. 2024. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP) [website http://bonap.org/]