What is the difference between powdery alligator-flag and pickerelweed? A quick guide to telling these two aquatic plants apart
Powdery alligator-flag and pickerelweed are two fairly common aquatic plants. The two look quite similar, and they are usually planted alternately, which makes them confusingly hard to tell apart. Today Qinnong Network will guide everyone through distinguishing these two flowers.
I. A brief introduction to powdery alligator-flag and pickerelweed
Before distinguishing these two plants, let us first introduce them.
Pickerelweed is a perennial emergent or wet-growing herbaceous plant. Its leaves are broad, growing in an irregular heart shape, and are relatively smooth. Its flowers are small and densely packed, with a single plant able to bloom more than 200 small flowers at once. It can be used for wetland or pond landscaping, and can also be grown in pots at home for viewing.
Powdery alligator-flag is likewise a perennial emergent or wet-growing herbaceous plant, with block-like rhizomes. The whole powdery alligator-flag plant is covered with white powdery granules, and for most of the year it is emerald green and full of vitality. This flower is also often planted beside ponds; besides its ornamental role, it can also purify water quality, and of course it can likewise be grown in pots at home.
II. The difference between powdery alligator-flag and pickerelweed
Having introduced these two flowers, Qinnong Network will now explain in detail the differences between them, mainly in the following aspects:
1. Basic differences
Pickerelweed is native to North America and is a plant grown in water, often used as an aquatic plant in waterscape construction. Powdery alligator-flag is native to the southern United States and Mexico and is a tropical aquatic plant. Powdery alligator-flag is also called Thalia; its plant is very tall, about two meters or so, taller than a person.
2. Flower shape differences
The flowers of pickerelweed are small blue flowers one by one, with a single plant having about one hundred small blue flowers, very enchantingly beautiful. The flowering period of pickerelweed is half a year. The flowers of powdery alligator-flag are also relatively small and appear purple, and the entire plant's surface is covered with this white powdery substance.
3. Leaf differences
The leaves of pickerelweed are in a long heart shape, while the leaves of powdery alligator-flag are elliptical.
4. Growing environment differences
Pickerelweed likes to grow in moist, warm environments, basically growing on moist pond edges or in shallow water. The most suitable growing temperature for pickerelweed is between 20°C and 35°C, at which it grows most vigorously; when the temperature is below 18°C, pickerelweed stops growing. Powdery alligator-flag likes warm, moist environments and likes to grow in environments with ample sunlight, but it is not cold-tolerant, so during cultivation care should be taken to maintain a suitable temperature.
The above is Qinnong Network's introduction to the differences between powdery alligator-flag and pickerelweed. We hope that after reading this article, everyone will have a fairly clear distinction between these two plants. In fact, Qinnong Network thinks they are still quite easy to tell apart here: one is very tall and has white powder all over the whole plant, so it is actually very easy to distinguish them. We wonder whether everyone thinks the same?