Redhead Grass

Potamogeton perfoliatus

Redhead grass has:

• Slender, straight stems that are reddish or whitish in color.
• Flat, oval-shaped leaves with curled edges and visible veins.
• Leaves grow in an alternate or slightly opposite pattern and the bases wrap around the stems.
• An extensive root and rhizome system.

Where does redhead grass grow?

Redhead grass grows in:

• Tidal fresh to moderately brackish waters.
• The upper middle Bay and in many of Maryland 's rivers.
• Waters with a slow current and a firm, muddy bottom.

How does redhead grass reproduce?

Redhead grass reproduces sexually in early to mid-summer.

• Spikes of tiny flowers bloom and poke above the surface of the water.
• The wind carries the pollen, which fertilizes the flowers.
• The plants produce a dark-colored fruit containing seeds.
• The fruit eventually matures and sinks, releasing the seeds.

It can also reproduce asexually when buds that develop over the summer produce the next year's spring shoots.

Other facts about redhead grass:

• An important source of food for waterfowl. In fact, redhead grass was probably named after the redhead duck, a species that was once a common winter visitor to the Bay region.
• Young shoots of redhead grass can be confused with curly pondweed.
• Redhead grass has not recently been found in Virginia waters.