Wild Celery

Vallisneria americana

Wild celery has long, flat, ribbon-like leaves that can grow to about 5 feet long. The leaves have:

• Finely toothed edges.
• Blunt, rounded tips.
• A light green stripe running down the center.

The leaves grow in a cluster from the base of the plant, which is white.

Where does wild celery grow?

Wild celery grows in the upper Bay and in fresh to slightly brackish tidal tributaries.

• Prefers coarse soil that is silty to sandy.
• More tolerant of murky, turbid, nutrient-rich waters and withstands wave action better than most other underwater bay grass species.

How does wild celery reproduce?

Wild celery can reproduce asexually when:

• Winter buds (called turions) form on the stem and roots in late summer.
• In spring the buds elongate and send to the surface a shoot from which a new plant grows.

Sexual reproduction takes place from late July to September.

• Male flowers break free from a plant and float to the surface, releasing their pollen.
• The female flowers, which grow at the water's surface at the end of a long stalk, are fertilized on contact.
• A cylindrical fruit pod containing small, dark seeds grows underwater on the female flower stalk.

Other facts about wild celery:

• The plant's thick, fleshy stems and root system are a valuable food source for waterfowl. Wild celery also provides important habitat for fish and invertebrates.
• Can be confused with eelgrass. You can distinguish wild celery by it leaves, which are broader and have a light green stripe down the center. Also, wild celery grows mostly in freshwater, while eelgrass is found in the saltier waters of the lower Bay.