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Native Plant Database

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Zizania aquatica L.

Annual wildrice, Wild Rice

Poaceae (Grass Family)

USDA Symbol: ZIAQ

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

A robust annual grass usually growing in flooded sites and producing large flowering panicle bearing conspicuous male flowers below the female flowers, producing rice above.

American Indians harvest the rice in Minnesota. It is also grown commercially there and in California.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Grass/Grass-like
Fruit Type: Achene , Caryopsis
Leaf: Green
Flower:
Fruit:

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Green
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug

Distribution

USA: AL , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , RI , SC , TX , VA , VT , WI
Canada: MB , NB , ON , QC
Native Distribution: Nova Scotia east to Manitoba, southwest to Minnesota, south to Nebraska and Texas.
Native Habitat: Marshes, ponds, lakes, borders of sluggish rivers.
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Wet
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Soil Description: Clay, Loam, Sand

Benefit

Warning: This plant contains a toxic alkaloid, present in the bulb and foliage, causes vomiting, breathing difficulties, and coma in humans. Livestock can be poisoned by grazing on this plant or by feeding on hay containing any part of it. Sensitivity to a toxin v
Attracts: Birds

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Zizania aquatica is a larval host and/or nectar source for:
Broad-winged Skipper
(Poanes viator)

Food Source
Learn more at BAMONA

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

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:

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Bibliography

Bibref 1186 - Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.
Bibref 1185 - Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright

Search More Titles in Bibliography

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

Metadata

Record Modified: 2010-11-13
Research By: TWC Staff

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