Pickerelweed with Bee
Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) has just started to bloom on the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. The plants occur on shorelines, ditches, and herbaceous wetlands. They will tolerate shallow flooding, but are not drought tolerant. The plant is 2 to 3 feet tall and has flower spikes that grow up to 6 inches long. It has heart-shaped leaves are up to 12 inches long. Pickerelweed attracts a wide variety of pollinating insects.
