White Pickerel Weed (Pontederia cordata ‘Alba’)

White Pickerel Weed | Pontederia cordata ‘Alba’

Elegant White Flower Spikes for Pond Margins, Wildlife Ponds and Water Gardens

White Pickerel Weed (Pontederia cordata ‘Alba’) is a stunning marginal pond plant that combines elegant white flower spikes with attractive glossy green foliage. Flowering from mid summer through to early autumn, this beautiful aquatic perennial creates a striking display around pond edges while providing valuable support for bees, butterflies, dragonflies, and other wildlife.

Unlike the traditional purple flowering Pickerel Weed, the pure white blooms of Pontederia cordata ‘Alba’ offer a more refined and contemporary appearance, making it an excellent choice for both formal water gardens and natural wildlife ponds. The upright flower spikes rise above dense clumps of lush heart shaped leaves, creating height, structure, and movement around the pond.

White Pickerel Weed thrives in shallow water and damp pond margins, performing best when planted in water depths between 5cm and 20cm. Its strong root system helps stabilise pond shelves and marginal planting areas, whilst the dense foliage provides shelter for amphibians, dragonfly larvae, and a variety of beneficial pond creatures.

During the flowering season, the white flower spikes become a magnet for pollinating insects. Bees, hoverflies, butterflies, and other pollinators are regularly attracted to the nectar rich flowers, helping to increase biodiversity within the garden. The broad foliage also creates valuable shade at the pond edge, contributing to a healthier aquatic environment.

This hardy perennial is easy to grow and requires very little maintenance once established. It performs well in full sun or partial shade and returns reliably year after year. Its neat clump forming habit means it is suitable for both small and large ponds, unlike some more vigorous marginal plants that can quickly dominate planting areas.

White Pickerel Weed combines beautifully with Waterlilies, Cardinal Flowers, Iris varieties, Marsh Marigolds, and other marginal pond plants. The crisp white flowers contrast particularly well against darker foliage and brightly coloured blooms, creating an attractive and balanced pond planting scheme.

Whether you are creating a dedicated wildlife pond, a formal water garden, or simply looking to add vertical interest to a pond margin, White Pickerel Weed is an excellent choice that provides beauty, structure, and ecological benefits throughout the growing season.

---

Key Benefits

• Elegant white flower spikes from July to September
• Excellent pollinator friendly pond plant
• Provides shelter for amphibians and aquatic wildlife
• Attractive glossy heart shaped foliage
• Ideal for pond margins and shallow water planting
• Helps create vertical structure around ponds
• Hardy and reliable in UK conditions
• Suitable for wildlife ponds and formal water gardens
• Easy to grow and low maintenance
• Attracts bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and dragonflies

---

Reasons to Buy

• Unique white flowering form of the popular Pickerel Weed
• Long flowering season through summer
• Excellent wildlife value
• Creates height and structure without becoming invasive
• Suitable for a wide range of pond sizes
• Reliable perennial that returns every year

---

Care Instructions

• White Pickerel Weed grows best in full sun or partial shade and should be planted in shallow water between 5cm and 20cm deep. Place the aquatic basket on a marginal shelf where the roots can remain consistently moist.
• Remove spent flower spikes during the flowering season to encourage a tidy appearance and prolong blooming. In autumn, cut back old foliage once it begins to die back naturally.
• Divide mature clumps every 3 to 5 years during spring if required. This helps maintain strong flowering performance and prevents overcrowding.
• This plant is generally trouble free but occasional aphids may appear on new growth. These can usually be controlled naturally by beneficial insects.

---

Flowering Period

July to September

---

Size and Growing Conditions

---

Dispatching Your Pond Plants

Your White Pickerel Weed will be carefully packed to protect the foliage and roots during transit.

Orders received by 11am Monday to Wednesday are normally dispatched on the following working day using a next working day courier service. During busy periods, dispatch may occasionally take an extra day.

To avoid plants being held in depots over a weekend, we do not usually dispatch on Fridays. Highlands and Islands orders using a two day service are not normally dispatched on Thursdays.

Available basket sizes:

• 3 Litre Hexagonal Basket – 18 × 18 × 16cm

Planting depth is measured from the top of the aquatic basket to the water surface.

Finofil baskets are manufactured in the UK from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable. Their fine dual-mesh construction helps retain aquatic soil while allowing water and nutrients to reach the roots. Basket shape may vary slightly depending on the plant and supplier availability.

Explore more marginal pond plants or browse our complete pond plants range.