Spatterdock (Cow Lily)

Nuphar lutea

What is Spatterdock (Cow Lily)?

Physical Characteristics

Leaves:

• Arranged in a spiral

Emersed Leaves:

• Floating
• Growing upward
• Oval- to almost disk-shaped
• 1+ feet long
• Up to 10 inches wide
• Overlapping at base

Submersed Leaves:

• Thin
• See-through
• Similar to floating leaves in size and shape
• Leaf stalks slender and smooth

Flowers:

• Up to 1 inch across
• 1 inch tall
• 6 sepals
• Roundish in shape
• Slightly caving inward
• Inner portion green to yellow in color, rarely red
• Many petals
• Petals small & thick
• Anthers 0.13-0.28 inches long
• Yellow, sometimes red, anthers

Fruit:

• Egg-shaped
• Many seeds

Seeds:

• Widely egg-shaped
• 0.16-0.23 inches long
• 0.14-0.2 inches wide

Stem:

• Cylindrical rhizomes
• Trail along the ground without roots

Where Does it Grow?

Spatterdock can be found in ponds, shallow lakes, streams and springs.

Pros and Cons of Spatterdock

Spatterdock is grazed by deer; while the rhizomes are consumed by beavers, muskrats, and nutria. Seeds are consumed by ducks and other waterfowl. Submerged portions of all aquatic plants provide habitats for many micro and macro invertebrates. This invertebrates in turn are used as food by fish and other wildlife species (e.g. amphibians, reptiles, ducks, etc). After aquatic plants die, their decomposition by bacteria and fungi provides food (called “detritus”) for many aquatic invertebrates.