Peltandra sagittifolia

Peltandra sagittifolia is a species of plant in the genus Peltandra. It is commonly known as the spoonflower or the white arrow arum, native to the southeastern United States from eastern Louisiana to eastern Virginia.

Description

It has a short rhizome. The leaves are like arrow heads. They are bright green and have easy to see veins. The flower is lily like and white. It is about 8-10 cm long. It grows about 45 cm above the water. The fruit are red fleshy berries.

Edible Uses

The roots must be thoroughly cooked to destroy an acrimonious principle. They contain a large amount of farinaceous material and can weigh up to 2.7 kilos each. The fruit is also edible, though caution is advised due to the same toxicity concerns.

Traditional Uses

Caution: Like all plants in this family it needs special processing to remove the oxalates. The corms are dried and roasted and made into flour. The cooked, dried fruit are eaten as a vegetable.

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

A temperate plant. It grows well near the edge of shallow water.

Where It Grows

North America, USA,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seed sown into waterlogged soil.

Propagation

Seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe in late summer in pots of soil submerged to their rims in water. Prick seedlings out into individual pots when large enough to handle and grow on in trays of water in the greenhouse through their first winter. Plant out into permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Divide in spring; larger divisions can go directly into permanent positions, while smaller divisions are better potted up and grown on in light shade in a cold frame until well established before planting out in late spring or early summer. Stem cuttings can be rooted in wet mud during summer.

Other Uses

None known Special Uses

Notes

There are 2-3 Peltandra species. They grow in temperate places.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Red-fruited arrow arum, Spoonflower

References (9)

• Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Foodplant Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/foodplantdb.(ACEDB version 4.0 - data version July 1994)
• Brickell, C. (Ed.), 1999, The Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Convent Garden Books. p 765
• Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 626
• Lim, T. K., 2015, Edible Medicinal and Non Medicinal Plants. Volume 9, Modified Stems, Roots, Bulbs. Springer p 64
• Mem. Torrey Bot. Club 5:102. 1894 "sagittaefolia"

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