Water caltrop.

Auf einen Blick

Pflegestufe

Mittel

Pflanzenart

Aquatic annual

Licht

Full sun

Licht im Innenraum

Direkte Sonne

Gießen

Alle 0 Tage

Endgröße

2 to 3 feet wide

Wachstum

Schnell

Winterhärte

USDA 6 bis 10

Blütezeit

Mid to late summer

Pflege

Keep this plant in a sunny, calm body of water with plenty of nutrient rich mud at the base. Watch for rapid spread, as it can quickly overtake small water features if left unchecked. Ensure the water remains still, as moving water can hinder its growth.

Gießen

This is an aquatic plant that must remain submerged in water at all times.

Düngen

Use aquatic plant fertilizer tablets pressed into the mud near the roots during the growing season.

Schneiden

Remove excess rosettes regularly to prevent the plant from covering the entire surface of your pond.

Umtopfen

Fresh seeds or young plants should be placed in new mud at the start of each spring season.

Boden

Rich organic mud

Boden-pH

6.0 to 8.0

Temperatur

10 bis 30°C

Luftfeuchtigkeit

70 bis 100%

Sicherheit

Menschen

Raw seeds contain tannins and potential toxins that require careful preparation.

Kinder

Keep children away from the water where this grows, as the sharp, spiny fruits are a significant puncture hazard.

Kontaktallergene

The sharp spines on the fruit can cause painful physical injury and skin irritation.

Allergene in der Luft

There are no notable airborne allergens associated with this plant.

Essbarkeit

The seeds must be thoroughly cooked before consumption to neutralize potential toxins.

So erkennst du die Pflanze

• Floating rosettes of diamond shaped leaves
• Serrated leaf margins
• Inflated spongy leaf stalks
• Four pronged woody nut fruits
• Small white four petaled flowers

Höhe

0m

Breite

0,6 bis 1,5m

Blätter

green, bronze, deciduous

Blüten

white, 1 bis 2cm

Früchte

black, brown, Autumn

Häufige Probleme

• Invasive spread — The plant can rapidly choke out native aquatic vegetation and block waterways.

Standort und Pflege

Vermehrung

seed

Pflanzzeit

Spring

This plant is highly competitive and usually dominates its space, so it is best kept in isolated containers.

Gute Pflanzpartner

• Nymphaea — They share similar aquatic habitat requirements.

Ähnliche Arten

• Eleocharis dulcis — Often confused due to the common name, though they are entirely different plants.

Botanisches

Familie

Lythraceae

Gattung

Trapa

Ordnung

Myrtales

Klasse

Magnoliopsida

Ursprüngliche Heimat

Eurasia and Africa

Artenschutz

It is considered an invasive species in many regions outside its native range and should not be introduced to new water bodies.

It thrives in stagnant or slow moving freshwater, forming dense mats that shade out other aquatic life.

Nutzen für Wildtiere

provides cover for aquatic life

Bestäuber

Bienen, Käfer

Verwendung

ornamental pond plant, culinary starch source

Taxonomie abgeglichen mit GBIF.

Häufige Fragen

Is it safe to grow in a garden pond?

It is generally discouraged due to its aggressive growth and the danger posed by its sharp, spiny fruits.

How do I control it?

Physical removal of the plants before they set seed is the most effective method.

Woher der Name kommt

The genus name Trapa is derived from the Latin word for a caltrop, a spiked military weapon that matches the fruit shape. The species name natans means floating.

Gut zu wissen

• The seeds are often called water caltrops or devil pods.
• It is an annual plant that grows floating on the water surface.
• The seeds are rich in starch and have been used as a food source for centuries.