Echinodorus cordifolius (L.) Griseb.

Creeping Burhead

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Creeping Burhead is a native herbaceous perennial in the Water-Plantain family (Alismataceae). It occurs in wet ditches, along streams and rivers, and around the margins of ponds and lakes. It usually occurs on clay soils. Creeping Burhead can be found throughout most of Alabama, but is most common along the major rivers. It is an emergent aquatic or wetland species. Plants often grow in shallow water or on exposed muddy banks. It is a perennial from a rhizome. Leaves are petiolate, ovate to elliptic in outline, with entire margins. The base of the leaf is cordate or truncate. The leaves have 3-5 major veins and lines of translucent spots. Flowers are produced in whorls on an elongated raceme. There are from 3-9 whorls of flowers, each with 3-15 flowers. The raceme is arching or prostrate. Small vegetative plantlets sometimes from along the raceme. Individual flowers are pedicellate, perfect, and have 3 green sepals and 3 white petals. The fruit is a beaked achene. Creeping Burhead is available from nurseries that specialize in aquatic plants. It can be grown totally submerged in a large aquarium, or as an emergent in the shallow ends of pools or bog gardens. Several varieties are available including “Tropical Marble” and “Marble Queen” with variegated leaves, “Ovalis” which is a dwarf form, and “Aureus” with yellow-green new growth.--A. Diamond

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Native

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