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Stratiotes aloides
Also called Water-soldier, Water Aloe, Water Pineapple, Freshwater Soldier, Knight's Pondweed, Knight's Woundwort, Soldier Plant
Water soldier is a submerged aquatic plant that forms rosettes of serrated, sword-like leaves and floats or sinks with the seasons, found in ponds, ditches and slow waters. It is the only species in its genus and does best in cool, still, healthy water.
Stratiotes aloides, commonly known as water-soldier or water pineapple, is a submerged aquatic plant native to Europe and northwestern Asia. In Britain it was once common in East Anglia and still is in many places, particularly wet ditches and healthy ponds. It is the only species in the genus Stratiotes.
Most suitable for the cool aquarium or pond.
Propagation from runners which form from the centre of the rosette of leaves.
In Ireland, it is found in shallow waters where it was introduced. Apparently now extinct in the north-east of Ireland. Rare in east England.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Stratiotes aloides by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
