Native Plants

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Thursday - July 21, 2011

From: Lincoln, NE
Region: Midwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Identification of Sagittaria-like plant with purple flowers
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

I have collected a wetland plant that I can't seem to identify. Its an emergent plant collected along with a species of sagittaria. Very similar in leaf structure to an sagittaria or alisima, but it has purplish/blue flowers. Any Ideas?

ANSWER:

I think your plant is probably Pontederia cordata (Pickerelweed). Here are more photos and information from the Virginia Tech Weed Identification Guide and Illinois Wildflowers.

From the Image Gallery

Pickerelweed
Pontederia cordata