Water Purslane Ludwigia palustris
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- lood-WIG-ee-uh pal-US-triss
- Description
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Water Purslane is a mat-forming wet area plant in the primrose family. It is found growing in low water situations along small ponds or streams or in muddy areas. It is also used in aquariums. The stems are succulent and often red in color. The inconspicuous flowers occur mid-summer to fall.
This plant may be seed near a pond or grown in rain or water gardens.
When growing in mud the plant sprawls along the ground with just the branch tips upright. In the water, branches ascend towards the surface with just the tips out of water. Both in the water and out, roots are continuously forming at the nodes, forming mats. It can be considered weedy but can also be a stabilizing plant on muddy banks, and is used to filter and take in toxins in bioswales and ditches.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Ludwigia
- Species:
- palustris
- Family:
- Onagraceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- The Americas
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , AZ , CA , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , HI , IA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NY , OH , OK , OR , PA , RI , SC , TN , TX , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV
- Wildlife Value:
- It serves as forage for aquatic insects.
- Edibility:
- Leaves and stems are edible either fresh or cooked.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Weed
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Horizontal
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Frequent Standing Water
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- 1/4 inch squarish seedbox with many seeds
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Tubular
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Stemless inconspicuous flowers form at the leaf axils and have no petals during mid-summer to fall.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- 1½" long and ¾" across leaves are medium green to dark reddish-green. The stem blades abruptly taper to a winged stalk.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Stems are succulent and green to reddish-green
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Water Garden
- Problems:
- Weedy
