Common Name:

General Information

Alisma canaliculatum is a herbaceous perennial water plant with tubers 10 - 30mm in diameter. The plant produces a clump of leaves 9 - 30cm long and flowering stems 35 - 65cm long[].
The plant is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

Although no mention of toxicity has been seen for this plant, the fresh leaves and roots of the closely related Alisma plantago-aquatica are poisonous, though the toxins are destroyed by thoroughly cooking or drying the plant[[, ].

Botanical References

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Range

E. Asia - southern China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea.

Habitat

Wet places all over Japan[]. Margin of lakes, ponds, marshes and streams in China[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.50 m
Pollinators	Flies
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Succeeds in a sunny position in boggy ground or shallow water up to 25cm deep[, ].

Edible Uses

Young plants - cooked. Used in soups[]. Some caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe. Place the pot in about 3cm of water to keep the soil wet. Pot up the seedlings when large enough to handle and keep in the cold frame for the first winter, planting out in late spring.
Division in spring or autumn. Fairly easy, the divisions can be planted straight out into their permanent positions.