Pickerel Rush

Pickerel Rush (Pontederia cordata) is an upright pond-edge perennial 60 to 90cm tall, with glossy heart to lance-shaped leaves and dense spikes of violet-blue flowers from late spring to autumn. Blue is a scarce colour among water plants, and this is the most reliable way to get it at the margin of a pond. Bees work the flowers constantly.

Why you'll love it

• Violet-blue flower spikes. Each spike opens from the bottom up over a couple of weeks, and new ones keep coming for months.
• Handsome foliage. The glossy, upright leaves look good from the day they unfurl, with or without flowers.
• A bee plant. The flowers are rich in nectar and busy with bees and butterflies through the warm season.
• Simple needs. Shallow water and sun are all it asks. It is not troubled by wet, heavy soil.
• Dependable return. It dies back in winter and reshoots strongly from the rootstock every spring.

Where it works best

Pond margins. Stand pots on the shallow shelf with 0 to 20cm of water over the crown, 40 to 50cm apart, for a band of blue beside open water.

Bog gardens. It grows in permanently boggy soil without standing water, among other moisture lovers.

Tubs and water bowls. One plant gives vertical contrast to a floating-leaved plant in a large container.

Growing Pickerel Rush in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun for the most flowers, and it accepts light shade for part of the day. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens.

Soil and planting depth. Heavy loam in a pot with a gravel cap, set so the crown is at the surface or up to 20cm under. Still or slow water is best.

Water and feed. Never allow it to dry out. A slow-release fertiliser tablet in the soil each spring keeps potted plants flowering well.

Pruning and winter. Cut off flower spikes as they finish, before seed sets, and remove the frosted foliage at the base in winter. Divide a crowded clump in spring. Keep it in ponds, bowls and containers and out of natural waterways: never plant it in or near a creek, drain or wetland.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Pickerel Rush in 200mm pots in packs of 6. Six plants set 40 to 50cm apart make a margin planting 2.5 to 3m long, or fill several tubs. Plants arrive potted and damp, not submerged, and should go into water or wet soil promptly. If they are sent in the cool months the pots may show only cut-back stubs or bare soil, because the plant is dormant. Shoots appear when the water warms in spring. Not every size is held by our growers year round, which means a size may show as on backorder now and then. If you order a backorder size, we confirm it with you before anything ships.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Water plants for Australian garden ponds
• Plants for bees and butterflies
• More flowering plants

Common questions

Has my Pickerel Rush died over winter?

Almost certainly not. It dies back completely in the cold and looks like an empty pot. Leave it in the water and new leaves spear up in spring.

How deep can I plant it?

From wet soil at the surface down to about 20cm of water over the crown. Deeper water weakens it and reduces flowering.

Does it spread?

The clump widens slowly and it can seed. In a pot in a contained pond that is easy to manage: remove spent spikes and divide it every few years. It must not be planted near natural waterways.