wetland wildflower

Broadleaf arrowhead

Sagittaria latifolia

Also known as Arrowhead, Duckroot, Duck-potato, Wapato

Native to most of the USA and southern Canada

Southern Canada, south through northern America; common in central and eastern U.S. and on the Pacific coast; scattered in western interior

Light Full sun to part shade Sun tolerance
Moisture Wet Moisture preference
Zones 2–9 Cold to heat range
Bloom Jul–Sep Flowering time
Height up to 3 ft to 0.9 m
Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial

Full details, see below

In the garden

A wetland wildflower for full sun to part shade and wet soil. Its white flowers peak in August. At up to 3 ft, it suits rain gardens, pond edges, and damp low spots. Hardy in USDA zones 2–9.

Growing conditions

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Hardiness zones

Find your zone:

When it blooms

The Broadleaf arrowhead's white flowers bloom July to September, peaking in August. This late-summer display draws bees and flower flies.

Broadleaf arrowhead blooms whiteFoliage

Pollinators & wildlife

Bees Common Eastern Bumble Bee

also Western Honey Bee, American Bumble Bee, Ligated Furrow Bee +20 more
Pure Green Sweat bee, Golden Sweat Bee, Bristle Sweat Bee, Rugose-chested Sweat Bee, Megachile brevis, Ceratina dupla, Experienced Sweat Bee, Lasioglossum cinctipes, Cresson's Nomad Bee, water-lily sweat bee, Nomada affabilis, Illinois Cuckoo Sweat Bee, Lasioglossum coriaceum, Eastern Cuckoo Sweat Bee, Macropis steironematis, Pseudopanurgus labrosiformis, Augochlora feronia, Agapostemon viridulus, Augochlora nominata, Augochlorella persimilis
Flower flies Margined Calligrapher

also Eastern Calligrapher, Thick-legged Hover Fly, Eurasian Drone Fly +12 more
Virginia Giant Hover Fly, Dusky-winged Hover Fly, American Snout Fly, Wavy Mucksucker, Thin-lined Calligrapher, Shiny Bog Fly, Dusky Bog Fly, Yellow-legged Leafwalker, Eurimyia stipatus, Orange-spotted Drone Fly, Eastern Catkin Fly, Epistrophe emarginata
Butterflies Pearl Crescent

also Least Skipper, Violet-clouded Skipper, Swarthy Skipper +3 more
Atrytone arogos arogos, Panoquina ocola, Silvery Checkerspot
Also visited by
- Beetles:
  
  Spotted Pink Lady Beetle, Slender Flower Longhorn Beetle +5 more
  Mournful Long-horned Beetle, Coleomegilla maculata lengi, Downy Long-horned Beetle, Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus, Chlorophorus glaucus
- Wasps: Fraternal Potter Wasp

Butterflies that use this plant

Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.

Full plant details

Where it grows

Habitat: WetlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: Most of the USA and southern CanadaUnited States (48): 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, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY. Canada (5): NB, NL, NS, ON, PE. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution: Southern Canada, south through northern America; common in central and eastern U.S. and on the Pacific coast; scattered in western interiorThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Growing conditions

Light: Full sun to part shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture: WetThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Hardiness zones: USDA 2–9 · Canadian 2–8The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil: Mud, Shallow water or fully saturated soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
Soil texture: Light to heavy (sandy to clay)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
Soil pH: 4.7–8.9The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Soil quality: LowHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
Water use: HighHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
Salinity tolerance: NoneHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance: HighHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.

Growth & form

Height: up to 3 ft (to 0.9 m)Typical mature height.
Spread: ~1 ft (0.3 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
Life cycle: PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Growth rate: ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Shape: ErectIts overall silhouette.
Root depth: 18+ in (46+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.

Flowers, foliage & fruit

Type: WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
Bloom: Jul–SepWhen it flowers.
Flower color: WhiteThe bloom color, or colors.
Fruit/Seeds: ripens Jul–SepThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
Toxicity: None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.

Propagation & seed

Cold stratification: Not requiredWhether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
Propagation: SeedHow to start new plants.
Seed: ~0.1 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
Seed spread rate: ModerateHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
Vegetative spread: NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.