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Araceae FAMILY

Wolffia arrhiza

Wolffia arrhiza

Edibility
4/5
Medicinal
0/5

Safety & Hazards

None known

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Perennial
Growth—

A pond plant, floating on the surface of the water, it requires a sunny position in still water that is rich in nitrates and lime[1]. At the limit of its climatic range in Britain and probably best grown in a cold water aquarium[1]. It over-winters in temperate areas by means of resting buds which sink to the bottom of the pond in the late autumn and rise again in the spring[1]. One of the smallest flowering plants in the world, it is cultivated as a vegetable in Burma, Laos and Thailand[2]. It has been recommended for commercial cultivation, especially in tropical areas, because of its rapid multiplication and high nutritional value[2]. Plant densities of over two million plants per square metre have been found[3].

Propagation

Seed - we have no information on this species but, since it can spread rapidly by division, it really needs no extra help once it is in a pond. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Wolffia+arrhiza>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  2. [2]Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. — Facciola. S. · Kampong Publications · 1990 · ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 ↩︎Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
  3. [3]Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas — Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J · Botanical Research Institute, Texas. · 1999 · http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm · ISBN 1-889878-01-4 ↩︎An excellent flora, which is also available on-line.
  4. [4]Flora of Canada — Livingstone. B. · National Museums of Canada · 1978 · ISBN 0-660-00025-3 ↩︎In 4 volumes, it does not deal with plant uses but gives descriptions and habitats.
  5. [5]Flora of the British Isles. — Clapham, Tutin and Warburg. · Cambridge University Press · 1962 · ISBN - ↩︎A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.