Practical
Plants

Potamogeton natans

Broad-Leaved Pondweed

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
1 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

Root - raw or cooked[9][11][2]. A nutty flavour[10]. Starchy[3][4]. Young branches that are produced from the rhizome[2]. No more details are given.

Plant part
Root
Plant part
Stem

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

The plant is febrifuge and resolvent[7].

Product or use
Febrifuge
Product or use
Resolvent

Environment

Range
Much of the northern hemisphere, including Britain.
Habitat
Lakes, ponds and ditches, especially on a highly organic substratum, usually in water less than 1 metre deep[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
aquatic
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
very acid, acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a pot that is standing in its own depth of water in a greenhouse as soon as the seed is ripe if this is possible. Stored seed is likely to have a short viability. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and increase the depth of water around the pot until the plants are covered by a few centimetres of water. Grow the plants on in a sunny position in the greenhouse for their first winter, increasing the depth of water as the plants grow larger. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. Division in spring[8]. Cuttings of erect shoots in the growing season[8].

Cultivation

A submerged aquatic plant that can be used as an oxygenator of ponds[1]. It is best given a loam based medium in full sun[6]. Succeeds in acid or calcareous conditions. A fast growing plant in need of constant checking to make sure it does not overrun the pond[6]. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus, the resulting progeny is usually sterile[6]. Fish like to spawn amongst this plant[10].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Haywood. V. H. Flowering Plants of the World. Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-217674-9

    ↩1↩2

  3. Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00

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  4. Johnson. C. P. The Useful Plants of Great Britain.

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  5. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

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  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  7. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

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  8. Muhlberg. H. Complete Guide to Water Plants. E. P. Publishing Ltd. 1982-00-00 ISBN 0-7158-0789-7

    ↩1↩2

  9. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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  10. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  11. Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9

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