Vallisneria americana
Water Celery
a perennial member of the Vallisneria genus in the family Hydrocharitaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Hydrocharitaceae
- Genus
- Vallisneria
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- evergreen
- Fertility
- self sterile
- Flower type
- dioecious
- Pollinators
- Water
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
- Plant part
- Leaves
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia. Eastern N. America - N. Dakota to S. Manitoba and Quebec.
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- aquatic
- Hardiness
- Zone 9+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- False
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - we have no information on this species but suggest sowing the seed in a warm greenhouse as soon as it is ripe. Lay the seed on the surface of a pot of soil and immerse this in water. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in water in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division of rooted runners in the growing season.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A water plant for a large aquarium or for deep water outdoors[1], it prefers slightly acid conditions in a sunny position[4]. This species is not very hardy in Britain, though it should succeed outdoors in the mildest areas of the country[4]. A valuable water oxygenator[4]. The leaves can be up to 1 metre long[1]. Dioecious, male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Male flowers are produced below the surface of the water and females are produced on the surface. Fertilization takes place when male flowers break off the plant, float to the surface and fall into a slight depression formed by the female flowers on the surface of the water[6].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Livingstone. B. Flora of Canada National Museums of Canada 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-660-00025-3
Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm