Peltandra virginica
green arrow arum
Overview
Peltandra virginica is an emergent aquatic perennial in the arum family, growing 1-3 feet (30-90 cm) tall from a thick, starchy rhizome anchored in mud. The leaves are arrowhead-shaped, 4-18 inches (10-45 cm) long, glossy green with a prominent network of veins, held on long, spongy stalks that rise above the water. The flower structure is a narrow green spathe 4-8 inches (10-20 cm) long that wraps a slender spadix bearing tiny flowers, appearing from late spring into summer. After flowering, the spathe encloses a cluster of green to dark berries that develop as the stalk bends down toward the water, releasing seeds into the mud. It grows in shallow water and saturated soil at the margins of ponds, marshes, swamps, and slow streams across eastern North America. The rhizome and roots stabilize soft sediment, and the foliage dies back to the rhizome each winter. The berries and rhizome are eaten by waterfowl and wetland mammals. Raw tissues contain calcium oxalate crystals that cause intense irritation if eaten, so the plant is unsuited to areas where that is a concern.
Native Range
Native to eastern North America, from southeastern Canada south to Florida and west to Texas, with scattered populations farther west.Suggested Uses
Used in pond margins, rain gardens, bog gardens, and wetland restoration plantings. Grown in containers submerged at the edge of water features. Suited to the saturated zone where few other ornamentals persist.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 3'
Width/Spread1' - 2'
Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
glossy greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun to part shade in shallow standing water or permanently saturated, mucky soil. It tolerates water depths from saturated mud to about 6 inches (15 cm) over the crown. Plants spread slowly by rhizome and by seed to form colonies in stable wetland margins. No fertilizer is needed in mucky, organic wetland soils. Foliage dies back in autumn and regrows from the rhizome each spring. It declines in soils that dry out for extended periods.Pruning
No pruning is required. Dead foliage collapses into the water in autumn and breaks down naturally. Spent leaves can be removed from ornamental ponds to reduce debris.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 3 gallons