Stratiotes aloides

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water soldier

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Other common names

crab's claw, freshwater soldier, knight's pondwort, knight's wort, knight's woundwort, soldier's yarrow, wading pondweed, water aloe, water houseleek, water sengreen, water soldiers

Aquatic
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This plant is listed as an invasive non-native species in Northern Ireland – see Cultivation section for details. An aquatic perennial, forming rosettes of narrow, sharp-pointed leaves to 45cm in length, with white flowers, 3cm across, in summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

Up to 10 cm

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
5–10 years
Max Spread
0.5-1 metres
Max Height
Up to 10 cm

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Poorly–drained
pH
Alkaline

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H6

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Hydrocharitaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
Yes
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Floating, Tufted
Genus
Stratiotes are vigorous, dioecious, submerged aquatic perennials forming stalkless rosettes of toothed, sword-shaped leaves, with white or pinkish 3-petalled flowers, the females solitary, the males in small clusters
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
Europe, N Asia

How to Grow

Cultivation

This plant is listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 as an invasive non-native species. Although not banned from sale, it is an offence to plant or cause it to grow in the wild in Northern Ireland. See RHS advice on invasive non-native species for further information

Propagation

See cultivation notes

Pests

See cultivation notes

Diseases

See cultivation notes