Pickerel Weed Panorama

by Mitch Spence

Title

Pickerel Weed Panorama

Artist

Mitch Spence

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Description

Ah, the lowly pickerel weed (or pickerelweed), Pontederia cordata, is a plant native to the shallow water of wetlands and pond and lake margins in the Americas. It often goes unnoticed or is occasionally considered a nuisance because of its aggressive growth habits. But unappreciated as it sometimes may be, when it blooms, sending up its beautiful purple, tubular spikes, it's quite a sight to behold, as it is here, against the deep emerald green of the foliage. It's reputed to perhaps have gotten its name from the fish, the pickerel, with which it was said to coexist. Its underwater portions provide a habitat for small water creatures, which eventually provide food for the larger ones. Also, it's valuable as an attractant for bees and butterflies.

Uploaded

August 16th, 2019

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