Sagittaria latifolia – Wapato

Wapato, also known as “katniss” and “arrowhead”, can be found in or at the edge of water. It grows in river edges, marshes, ponds, and lakes.

Wapato has arrow-shaped leaves with pointed lobes. It produces flowers in the summer which have three white petals and a green knob in the center. It has underground tubers that are about the size of a golf ball.

Wapato tubers are a traditional Native American food. They are typically dug from late summer to early spring. Tubers can be peeled and used in place of potatoes. They are great boiled, baked, fried, and added to soup. The taste is reminiscent of potatoes and sweet corn with a hint of grapefruit peel.

Wapato leaves can be collected when the leaves are still furled. Flower stalks can be harvested before the flowers open. Leaves and flower stalks can be boiled and then consumed.

 

Harvesting tubers from large Wapato colonies can help to thin the colony and promote its spread.

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Written by Amy Demers, founder of the Connecticut Foraging Club. To learn more about foraging in Connecticut, check out our upcoming classes.