Through The Woods
  • Home
  • Blog
    • Blog
    • Plant Profiles
    • One Year Studies >
      • Barnes Preserve >
        • Barnes Short Loop
        • Barnes Long Loop
        • BP Pond Overlook
      • Walton Woods Wildflower Sanctuary >
        • Walton Woods Lower Trail
        • Walton Woods Burning Bush
      • Brown's Lake Bog >
        • Bog Boardwalk
        • Bog Loop
      • Wooster Memorial Park >
        • Sycamore Tree
        • Trillium Hill
        • WMP Prairie
  • Shop
    • Shop
    • Photography
  • About

Through The Woods
Explore the world around you.

Broadleaf Arrowhead - Indian Potato

8/24/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
The Sagittaria latifolia, or Broadleaf Arrowhead, is a native aquatic plant which grows tuberous roots that can be eaten like potatoes.
Lewis and Clark found this plant at the mouth of the Willamette and considered the tubers equal to potato and valuable for trade. 
Today the tubers are commonly harvested with a hoe, pitchfork, or rake then baked in fire embers, poiled, or roasted. They can also be skinned and eaten whole or mashed as mashed 'potatoes'. 
The Chippewa Indians would gather these tubers in the fall, string them together and hang them overhead in the wigwam to dry, they'd then boil them later for use. 

As a medicinal plant many different tribes had uses for this tuber - and infusion to clean and treat wounds, as a headache cure, to remedy indigestion, as a dermatological aid, a laxative, and as a ceremonial blessing when they began planting corn. 

As wildlife food, the Broadleaf Arrowhead is an important source of nutrients - Swans, geese, wood ducks, blue-winged teal, lesser and greater scaup, ruddy duck, ring necked duck, pintail, mallard, mottled duck, gadwall, canvasback, black duck and king rail are known to eat arrowhead seeds and muskrat and porcupine eat the tubers.

Picture
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

      Email list
      ​Sign up

    Subscribe

    RSS Feed

    About

    Since 2015 we have been exploring and sharing all the amazing things we’ve found in nature.
    From great and unique places to explore, to learning about new and interesting plant species, to understanding the earth’s cycles.
    Follow along and discover new and interesting things about the world around you. 

    Author

    Emily is an Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist who is most often found out in the woods. 

    Archives

    May 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Blog
    • Blog
    • Plant Profiles
    • One Year Studies >
      • Barnes Preserve >
        • Barnes Short Loop
        • Barnes Long Loop
        • BP Pond Overlook
      • Walton Woods Wildflower Sanctuary >
        • Walton Woods Lower Trail
        • Walton Woods Burning Bush
      • Brown's Lake Bog >
        • Bog Boardwalk
        • Bog Loop
      • Wooster Memorial Park >
        • Sycamore Tree
        • Trillium Hill
        • WMP Prairie
  • Shop
    • Shop
    • Photography
  • About