Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) is in the Pickerelweeds family (Pontederiaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 5,387 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in July.
Nationally it blooms mainly from June to September, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Pickerelweed: observations by month (U.S.)
About Pickerelweed
Pontederia cordata, common name pickerelweed (USA) or pickerel weed (UK), is a monocotyledonous aquatic plant native to the American continent. It grows in a variety of wetlands, including pond and lake margins across an extremely large range from eastern Canada south to Argentina. A few examples include northern rivers, the Everglades and Louisiana.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Pickerelweed by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 725 | April | Feb–Jun |
| Ohio | 484 | July | Jun–Sep |
| New York | 450 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Massachusetts | 410 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Texas | 372 | May | Apr–Oct |
| Maine | 305 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Pennsylvania | 206 | July | Jul–Sep |
| New Hampshire | 202 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Vermont | 179 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Minnesota | 167 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Maryland | 160 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Virginia | 155 | June | May–Sep |
| New Jersey | 152 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Georgia | 140 | September | Apr–Sep |
| North Carolina | 138 | June | May–Sep |
| Illinois | 123 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Wisconsin | 123 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Michigan | 112 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Alabama | 98 | June | May–Sep |
| Missouri | 96 | June | Jun–Aug |
| Louisiana | 89 | April | Apr–May |
| South Carolina | 85 | June | May–Sep |
| Indiana | 78 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Connecticut | 69 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Delaware | 65 | June | Jun–Aug |
| District of Columbia | 47 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Kentucky | 43 | June | Jun–Sep |
| Mississippi | 34 | June | Apr–Jun |
| Rhode Island | 29 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Tennessee | 19 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Arkansas | 11 | August | Jun–Aug |
| Iowa | 8 | July | Jul–Jul |
| West Virginia | 8 | August | Jul–Aug |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pickerelweed?
Nationally, July has the most observations, with the main season from June to September.
Where is Pickerelweed most often seen?
The most observations come from Florida, Ohio, New York.