Light. Grows best in full sun.
Water. Plant at a pond edge in water no more than 12 inches deep. Deeper water will kill it.
Soil and feeding. It needs rich, wet soil and does not tolerate drought or salt water.
Size. Listed at about 2 ft tall; in open water its leaves can stand 3–5 ft above the surface.
Pruning. It spreads aggressively. To keep it from taking over a small pond, grow it in a pot without drainage holes.
Problems to watch. Few problems trouble it. Salty wind may burn the leaves.
Good to know. A Florida native. Blue-purple flower spikes appear spring through fall and attract butterflies, and birds eat the seeds. Space plants about 4 ft apart.
Sources: UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Pickerel Weed · UF/IFAS EDIS FPS490: Pontederia cordata, Pickerel Weed · Natives for Your Neighborhood (Institute for Regional Conservation): Pontederia cordata
