Food Plants International - Plant Fact Sheets Alisma plantago-aquatica

Edible: Leaves, Roots, Rhizome, Seeds

A perennial plant. It emerges from water. It forms tussocks or clumps. It grows up to 90-150 cm high and 45 cm across. Leaves form from the base. The leaf blades are 10-25 cm long and 7-10 cm wide. There are 7 veins which run along the leaf. The leaf stalk is 80 cm long. They are flattened on one side and have wings near the base. The flowers are in an open panicle. This is 60 cm long by 40 cm wide. The flowers are 1 cm across. The petals are pale pink. The fruit is one seeded. It is 2-2.5 mm long.

It is a temperate plant. It grows in Northern temperate regions. It grows naturally in Britain in ditches, damp ground and shallow pond margins in water up to 15 cm deep. It grows in boggy conditions. Tasmania Herbarium.

Common Names: Water Plantain, Devil’s Spoons, Mad Dog Weed, Ishing yempat, Kaothum, Trpotčasti porečnik

Synonyms: 

Alisma parviflorum (Pursh.);
Alisma subcordatum (Raf.);
Alisma triviale (Pursh.)