PICKERELWEED

The pickerelweed is a denizen of fresh water ponds and brackish creeks. One to three feet in height, it has bright green leaves that are spear-shaped. The plant springs from a heavy rootstock and grows in a clustered mat that serves as excellent cover for the pickerel which feed on the insects attached to its blossoms.

Violet colored, the flowers are crowded closely together in a four to six inch spike. The flowering season in the Historic Triangle is from the middle of June to October. The fruit is shaped like a bladder and contains one seed. Ducks and deer enjoy the seeds as food, while muskrats are fond of the plant's root.

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