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Nuphar lutea (Yellow pond-lily)
Marcus, Joseph A.

Nuphar lutea (L.) Sm.

Yellow pond-lily, Cow lily, Spatter dock, Yellow cow lily

Nymphaeaceae (Water-Lily Family)

Synonyms: Nuphar lutea ssp. advena, Nuphar advena, Nuphar lutea ssp. variegata, Nuphar variegatum

USDA Symbol: NULU

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

The leaves of this coarse, rhizomatous aquatic perennial are quite variable and may be wide or rather narrow and submersed or floating. The single, yellow, fleshy flower, with its prominent, lobed stigma is the best known feature. Yellow pond-lily can grow in water up to 16 in. deep.

There are a number of subspecies of Nuphar lutea.

 

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Flower:
Fruit: Green
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct

Distribution

USA: AK , AL , AR , AZ , CA , CO , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , MT , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NV , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Canada: NB , NS , ON , PE
Native Distribution: Lab. to AK, s. to FL, TX & B.C.
Native Habitat: Ponds; lakes; bayous, Ponds, bogs, streams and springs in the Edwards Plateau and east Texas.
USDA Native Status: L48(N), AK(N), CAN(N), SPM(N)

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Wet
Aquatic: yes
Soil Description: Clay, Loam, Sand

Benefit

Use Food: Native people gathered the thick rootstocks in winter and spring, boiled or roasted them for several hours, then peeled them to expose their sweet, gluey contents. Rootstocks were also sliced, dried and ground into meal or flour. The starchy seeds can be difficult to remove, so the tribes rotted the fruits until the pods became soft. The heated seeds swell like poor-quality popcorn, making a crunchy snack. (Kershaw)
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds
Deer Resistant: High

Propagation

Propagation Material: Root Cuttings
Description: Divide bulblets from plants and grow in watertanks. Also can grow from slices of root with buds.
Seed Collection: Not Available
Seed Treatment: Not Available
Commercially Avail: yes

From the National Suppliers Directory

According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation Native Plant Nursery - Sanibel, FL

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE
Crosby Arboretum - Picayune, MS

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0900 Collected Jun 24. 1994 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe

Bibliography

Bibref 996 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (1994) Wasowski, Sally and Andy Wasowski

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Nuphar lutea in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Nuphar lutea in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Nuphar lutea

Metadata

Record Modified: 2013-04-20
Research By: TWC Staff, MAC

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