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Duck Potato (Sagittaria graminea)

White Morning Glory

Duck Potato (Sagittaria latifolia), also called a grass-leaved arrowhead

© 2004 Claude W. Rankin and Southern Connections Inc.

Root - cooked. Contains 4 - 7% protein[183]. Blooms June to October Young shoots - cooked[183]. Duck potato plants are shoreline perennials which usually have distinctly arrowhead shaped leaves. Both species have upright, emergent leaves and whorls of three petaled flowers on long stalks originating at the plant base. Large, round tubers are produced. S. cuneata grows to 0.5 m high and S. latifolia grows to 1.5 m high. Leaf: S. cuneata: emergent arrowhead-shaped leaves, 5-15 cm long; may also have long, narrow, oval-to-heart-shaped floating leaves, and long, narrow submersed leaves. Stalks usually triangular in cross section. S. latifolia: variable leaf shapes, but usually has emergent 5-45 cm long arrowhead shaped leaves when mature. Leaf stalks usually angular in cross section. Stem: Short, at plant base (stem-like leaf stalks arise from plant base) . Flower: Usually in whorls of three, each with 3 white petals and 3 green sepals (1-2 cm long). S. cuneata: flowers to 2.5 cm across. When in fruit the stalks are held upright. S. latifolia: flowers to 4 cm across. When in fruit the stalks spread outwards. Fruit: Achenes approximately 2 mm long, crowded on globe-shaped heads. S. cuneata: beak at achene tip 0.5mm. S. latifolia: beak 1-2 mm, horizontal. Root: Rhizomes with thick round white or bluish tubers that may grow as large as chicken eggs. Propagation: Tubers, rhizomes, seeds. Importance of plant: Tubers were an important food source for Native Americans. Tubers also provide food for beavers and muskrats. Tubers and achenes provide food for waterfowl. Distribution: S. cuneata: Throughout the United States and southern Canada; only east of Cascades in Oregon and Washington. S. latifolia: Common on Pacific coast, central, and eastern United States; in Washington, primarily west of Cascades and the Columbia River Gorge. Habitat: Shorelines and marshy areas up to 1.5 m deep.

Species Sagittaria latifolia Family: Alismataceae Longevity: Perennial Season: Warm Origin: Native Height: Flowers: May - August An upright to spreading aquatic plant that grows from tuber-bearing roots. Common in water or muddy areas. Flowers are generally in whorls of three on a long spike. The tubers are eaten by ducks and other wildlife, hence the common name "Duck potato".

Taxonomic Classification

  • Superdivision: Spermatophyta (seed plants)
  • Division: Magnoliophyta (flowering plants)
  • Class: Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
  • Subclass: Asteridae
  • Order: Solanales
  • Family: Convolvulaceae (morning-glory family)
  • Genus: Ipomoea L. (morning-glory)
  • Species: Ipomoea pandurata (L.) G.F.W. Mey. (man of the earth)
  • Common Names:
ingdom Plantae Π Plants ΚΚΚΚΚΚ Subkingdom Tracheobionta Π Vascular plants ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Superdivision Spermatophyta Π Seed plants ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Division Magnoliophyta Π Flowering plants ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Class Liliopsida Π Monocotyledons ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Subclass Alismatidae Π ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Order Alismatales Π ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Family Alismataceae Π Water-plantain family ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Genus Sagittaria L. Π arrowhead ΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚΚ Species Sagittaria graminea Michx. Π grassy arrowhead

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