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Arrowhead or wapato

Sagittaria latifolia

Alismataceae

Wapato is a bog or water plant of sea-level to subalpine elevations. It is found in ponds, the shallow water of lakes, and slow-moving streams throughout BC. If the water is deep enough, the arrow-shaped leaves don’t develop and only long, slender leaf stalks are evident. Flowers, sometimes several feet above the leaves, are in whorls of three; they have three sepals and three waxy white petals. The long stem contains a milky sap. Seed heads are globular. The tubers are quite large and break off easily. The plant may be in the water or erect above it. It flowers in late June or early July.

Wapato tubers can be roasted, boiled or ground into flour. The milky juice of the stem is unpleasant raw but sweet when cooked.