Justicia americana (L.) Vahl

American Water Willow

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

American Water Willow is a native herbaceous perennial in the Acanthus family (Acanthaceae). It is native to much of Alabama but is uncommon in the lower third of the state. American Water Willow grows in shallow water of ponds, lakes, streams and rivers. It often forms extensive mats in shallow water and in riffles. It is colonial from long creeping rhizomes. The stems are erect, slightly branched, green in color, and glabrous. Leaves are opposite, sessile, lanceolate to narrowly elliptic in outline, with entire or slightly undulate margins. The leaves are glabrous. Flowers are produced in short dense spikes from the leaf axils or terminal. The corolla is tubular below with 4 lobes. The upper lobe is violet and recurved with a notch at its apex. The lower lobes are white, the central one marked with reddish-purple. The fruit is a capsule. American Water Willow is the larval food for the Hydrangea Sphinx moth (Darapsa versicolor). It also provides important habitat for many fish and invertebrate species, and reduces erosion of stream banks. American Water Willow is available from nurseries that specialize in aquatic plants. It can also be rooted from cuttings. American Water Willow prefers shallow water and full sun with a course sand or gravel substrate.--A. Diamond

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Native OBL (NWPL) OBL (DEP) G5 (Global Rank)

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