The native arrowhead (bot. Sagittaria sagittifolia), sometimes referred to as arrowhead, is a popular aquatic and marsh bed plant. The perennial perennial is particularly popular as a solitary plant in the shallow water zone of the garden pond or another artificial body of water. The attractive species is considered easy to care for and reproduces quickly, and it can also be used very well as a natural filter.

Arrowhead is a pretty aquatic plant, especially when it's in flower

Table of Contents

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  1. origin and distribution
  2. use
  3. appearance and growth
  4. leaves
  5. flowers and flowering time
  6. fruit
  7. toxicity
  8. Which location is suitable?
  9. floor
  10. Plant arrowhead properly
  11. watering and fertilizing
  12. Cut arrowhead properly
  13. propagate arrowhead
  14. hibernate
  15. diseases and pests
  16. species and varieties

    17. origin and distribution

    Just like the various species of the related frog-spoon, the common arrowhead (bot. Sagittaria sagittifolia) belongs to the family of the frog-spoon family (bot. Alismataceae). The species is particularly widespread in the still to calm-flowing, calcareous and nutrient-rich waters of the North German lowlands, but also occurs in the rest of Central Europe up to the foothills of the Caucasus and in Siberia and as a neophyte even in North America. The perennial prefers flat regions and can no longer be found at altitudes of 500 meters or more.

    use

    The native and therefore hardy arrowhead is mainly planted in the garden as an easy-care ornamental plant in the shallow water zone of the garden pond and other shallow water areas. It is particularly valuable as a so-called reduction plant. These are plant species that filter the water in a completely natural way and thus keep it healthy without chemical additives. The arrowhead can be planted both as a solitaire and in small tuffs of a maximum of eight plants per square meter. In addition, there are a number of suitable plant partners such as purple loosestrife (bot. Lythrum), dwarf cattail (bot. Typha minima) or blue-green rush (bot. Juncus inflexus). Furthermore, the arrowhead also harmonizes very well with species such as the European sea jug (bot. (Nymphoides peltata) or various water lilies (bot. Nymphaea).

    appearance and growth

    The perennial, perennial aquatic plant grows in clumps and develops numerous offshoots over time. Due to the strong leaves that grow above the water surface, the arrowhead reaches heights of growth of between 30 and 50 centimetres, whereby the above-ground parts are drawn in before winter and the plant overwinters in the form of spherical tubers on the bottom of the water. It forms these overwintering tubers on its foothills.

    If the plant is in a sunny location, it always aligns its leaves in a north-south direction. This behavior is designed to protect the leaves from the sun, and you can also use it as a natural compass. For this reason, the arrowhead is sometimes referred to as the "compass plant".

    leaves

    In principle, the arrowhead forms three different types of leaves, each with a different shape. The floating blades, for example, which are always under water, are band-shaped and are formed first. Only then do the first, oval to broadly shaped leaves above the water surface follow. These are visually very reminiscent of the related frog spoon. At the very end follow the eponymous arrow-shaped leaves, which make the species so unmistakable. The upright leaves are long-stalked and triangular. In autumn the deciduous leaves turn yellow.

    flowers and flowering time

    The white arrowhead flowers, which are only about two to four centimeters in size, appear between June and August. They consist of three petals arranged in whorls of tiers on long, triangular flower stalks and have a pink center. The female flowers are on the lower whorls, the larger male ones on the upper ones. Pollination is usually by hoverflies, but also by other insects.

    fruit

    After the flowering period, inconspicuous, small nut fruits develop. These contain only one winged seed each.

    toxicity

    Arrowhead is not poisonous. In fact, the tubers on the foothills of the plant are even edible, which is why the species is mainly cultivated for consumption in China (as well as in other Asian countries). However, the starchy tubers, which taste reminiscent of potatoes, have to be peeled after preparation, as the peel contains a lot of bitter substances. Arrowhead bulbs are particularly often boiled and processed into flour, which is suitable for both cooking and baking.

    Which location is suitable?

    The adaptable and extremely robust arrowhead needs a sunny to half-shady place on the bank of a standing to slowly flowing body of water such as a garden pond or a stream. Here it should be placed on the bank area down to a maximum depth of 40 centimeters. In addition, the body of water should have a high nutrient content so that the plant can thrive in it.

    floor

    A permanently wet, humus-rich and loamy-muddy subsoil is ideal in which to plant the arrowhead at a water depth of between five and 30 centimetres. Due to the different leaves occurring both below and above the water surface, the species also copes quite well with fluctuating water levels.

    Plant arrowhead properly

    When planting, place the arrowhead tubers directly in the shallow water area of the garden pond and cover them with gravel. This way you prevent it from being washed away. For a group of plants, about six to eight specimens should be exposed per square meter. For solitary planting and in smaller garden ponds, however, it is advisable to plant the tubers in special plant baskets to counteract the spread from the outset. The best season for planting this attractive aquatic plant is spring.

    watering and fertilizing

    Care measures such as watering and fertilizing are not necessary for planted arrowhead, as long as the nutrient content in the water is right.

    Cut arrowhead properly

    Cutting measures are also superfluous. You should only fish off the parts of the plant that turn yellow in autumn from the water surface before winter, but you should not cut them off. The tubers draw the nutrients they need for new growth in spring from the stems and leaves, which is why removing them prematurely leads to a lack of nutrients. As a result, the arrowhead no longer drives out.

    propagate arrowhead

    Sagittaria sagittifolia often has to be prevented from spreading excessively when it is planted, as the species is extremely prolific. The arrowhead multiplies all by itself, both through self-sowing and through its overwintering tubers, which develop on the numerous runners. You can also propagate the plant by dividing it, digging it up together with its rootstock and dividing it into the desired number of sections. Each section should have at least one shoot and can then be used again at a new location. It is best to divide in spring, when there are signs of new growth anyway. In addition, you can - also in spring - separate the overwintering tubers from the mother plant and also plant them out separately in a new place.

    hibernate

    Special hibernation measures are not necessary because the arrowhead is sufficiently hardy as a native plant. It pulls in its leaves in autumn and stores the nutrients it contains in the tubers, which form on the foothills over the summer and finally sink to the bottom of the water. In the spring, the plant will sprout again from these tubers.

    diseases and pests

    Basically, the arrowhead is unproblematic in terms of diseases and pests and is resistant to both. Especially on larger ponds, only hungry ducks can cause problems, which also find the starchy tubers very tasty and eat up entire stocks practically overnight.

    tips

    Not all species of arrowhead develop edible tubers. If you are interested in exotic vegetables, try the water chestnut (bot. Trapa natans). This also spreads over a large area to larger garden ponds. The species is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the water chestnut, when in fact it is the species Eleocharis dulcis.

    species and varieties

    Botanists distinguish about 40 different species of arrowhead, which are native to both the temperate and tropical regions of the world. Depending on their origin, the various arrowhead species can be used for planting artificial bodies of water in the home garden or in aquaristics. In contrast to the native arrowheads, the varieties from tropical regions are not hardy. The genus (bot. Sagittaria) belongs to the plant family of the frog's spoon family (bot. Alismataceae).

    Variable arrowhead (bot. Sagittaria latifolia)

    This species, native from Canada to Mexico, is also known as broad-leaved arrowhead and is now even native to Europe as a neophyte. The hardy, upright perennial develops strikingly broad, arrow-shaped and shiny green leaves. It reaches heights of growth between 40 and 60 centimeters and shows pretty white, slightly pink-tinged panicles of flowers between June and August. The plant can be placed in water up to 40 centimeters deep and overwinters with the help of its so-called overwintering tubers. But beware: These are eaten with preference by ducks.

    Grass-leaved arrowhead (bot. Sagittaria graminea)

    This species also comes from Canada and the USA and tolerates frost well. The medium-green leaves of the perennial are lanceolate in shape and narrower than those of the other arrowhead species. The plant grows up to about 40 centimeters high and can be cultivated in tubs as well as on or in the garden pond or other artificial body of water. The pretty, white flowers appear between June and September.

    Floating arrowhead (bot. Sagittaria subulata)

    This species, also known as small arrowhead, is native to the warm regions of the southern United States and West Java. The aquatic plant, which grows up to 60 centimeters high, is not hardy, but a popular ornamental plant in aquaristics. It is considered easy to care for and is therefore also suitable for beginners. In contrast to specimens planted in garden ponds and other bodies of water, arrowhead plants cultivated in aquariums should be fertilized regularly - the plants have a high nutrient requirement.

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Vegetable garden