Water Plantain

Description

Water plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica) is a British native aquatic perennial herb commonly found in shallow water, muddy banks and along the margins of slow-moving watercourses. This aquatic plant is also known as common water plantain, European water plantain and Mad-dog Weed. This marginal water plant naturally occurs in ponds, ditches, lakes and wetland habitats, where it helps support healthy aquatic ecosystems.

The flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinating insects, while the foliage offers shelter for aquatic creatures.

How to Identify

Water-plantain forms a rosette of dark green, oval-shaped leaves that emerge from the base of the plant. Tall, slender flower stems rise above the foliage and branch into open, pyramid-shaped flower heads.
Flowering begins in June and continues throughout the summer, with small white to very pale pink flowers that open in the afternoon and fade within a few hours. Although individual flowers are short-lived, they are produced in succession, giving the plant a long flowering period. After flowering, seed heads develop, which are an important food source for aquatic wildlife.

How to Grow

Water-plantain grows best in shallow water or consistently wet soil and is ideally suited to pond margins, shallow shelves and container ponds. It can be planted directly into aquatic soil or grown in an aquatic basket filled with aquatic compost, where it will establish readily. The plant prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade, especially in sheltered sites.

Once established, it requires very little maintenance and copes well with fluctuating water levels, making it an excellent choice for wildlife ponds and wetland restoration projects.