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Bluntleaf pondweed

Potamogeton obtusifolius · Aquatic plants

Bluntleaf pondweed: Out of the water

Out of the water · Photo: Dustin Snider / CC BY

NativeSubmerged

How to identify Bluntleaf pondweed

  • Narrow leaves with blunt, rounded tips
  • Often reddish to brown
  • Large winter buds

Similar plants

Small pondweed has pointed tips; leafy pondweed is green and lacks large winter buds.

Growth profile

Growing seasonGrows from winter buds in spring, peaks in summer and forms new buds before fall.
Starts growingNo published figure; grows as water warms in spring
LightPrefers clear water
Depth1 to 8 feet
How it spreadsWinter buds and seeds
HabitatSoft water ponds and lakes, often with organic bottoms.

Why it matters in a lake

Uncommon in the region. Rarely a nuisance.

Where it is found

  • Idaho: Rare
  • Oregon: Rare
  • Wyoming: Not recorded

Classification

KingdomPlantae
PhylumTracheophyta
ClassMagnoliopsida
OrderAlismatales
FamilyPotamogetonaceae
Scientific namePotamogeton obtusifolius

More submerged plants

Eurasian watermilfoilCurly leaf pondweedBrazilian elodeaCoontailElodeaSago pondweedLeafy pondweedCommon bladderwortWhite water buttercupSlender naiad

Browse all aquatic plants in the Species Database

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