Spatterdock

Description:

The bright yellow, ball-like flowers bloom from June to mid-August and also stand just above the water surface. They are composed of several broad fleshy yellow sepals, with many inconspicuous petals inside. In the center is a yellow flask-shaped seed pod. The flower emits a strong brandy-like odor which attracts pollinating insects. Spatterdock reproduces by seeds and spreads by growth of its large fleshy roots. It will also grow from fragments of roots if the plant is broken up. The floating leaves are connected by long stalks to large horizontal roots in the sediments. The roots can be up to six inches in diameter and many feet long! The roots look something like palm-tree trunks, with knobby scars where leaves have grown.

Habitat:

Growing in the shallower water along the edge of the St. Johns River at Holly Bluff Marina.

Notes:

Spatterdock was long used in traditional medicine, with the root applied to the skin and/or both the root and seeds eaten for a variety of conditions. The seeds are edible, and can be ground into flour. The root is supposed to be edible too, but can prove to be incredibly bitter.