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Summary

Northern watermilfoil (Myriophyllum sibiricum) is a native aquatic (USDA 2–9) with tender rhizomes and roots that were once eaten by Native Americans, though its safety as food remains uncertain.

Physical Characteristics

Myriophyllum sibiricum is a PERENNIAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3 and is not frost tender. The flowers are pollinated by Wind.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist or wet soil and can grow in water.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Heterotypic Synonyms: M. exalbescens Fernald. M. exalbescens var. magdalenense. M. magdalenense Fernald. M. spicatum var. capillaceum Lange. M. spicatum var. exalbescens (Fernald) Jeps. M. spicatum subsp. exalbescens (Fernald) Hultén. M. spicatum var. muricatum Maxim.

Plant Habitats

Edible Uses

Root - raw or cooked[257 ]. Sweet and crunchy, the roots were a much relished food for several native North American Indian tribes[257 ]. Northern watermilfoil (Myriophyllum sibiricum) is the native North American species closely related to Eurasian watermilfoil (M. spicatum). While it is not formally reported as edible, historical confusion in naming means it was probably this species, not Eurasian watermilfoil, that the Tanana Indians of Alaska used as food. They are said to have eaten the rhizomes raw, roasted, or fried in grease, sometimes relying on them as a life-saving food during times of scarcity [2-3]. The rhizomes, stem bases, and roots are weak, tender, and mild, with a texture similar to alfalfa sprouts. When cooked, they yield a light, pleasant broth free of bitterness or acrid tones. The true roots contain the most substance and “meat” compared to the hollow rhizomes. Washing them in the water removes the black skins, improving both flavor and texture. Although they seem like an excellent wild food in taste and usability, safety is uncertain because no official record of their edibility exists. Cooking is required to kill possible waterborne parasites [2-3].

References More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

The plant is demulcent and febrifuge[178 ].

References More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

A good water oxygenator. Myriophyllum spicatum is sold for domestic ponds, but is not common in northern Europe. In parts of Asia the species is used to help clean polluted water (e.g. Viet Nam).

Special Uses

References More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Requires a sandy medium, rich in decaying organic matter, in full sun[200 ]. Plants overwinter as resting buds at the bottom of the pond[1 ]. Another report says that the plants do not form winter buds, but persist at the bottom of the pond[56 ]. This species is considered to have the potential to be invasive when introduced into some areas such as Texas[274 ]. A good water oxygenator[200 ]. Myriophyllum spicatum occurs in lakes, rivers, streams, canals and ditches. It prefers base-rich water systems with high dissolved inorganic carbon, nitrate, nitrite and pH, and in hydrosoil with high phosphate and organic matter contents. USDA Hardiness & Weed Potential: Northern watermilfoil is native to lakes, rivers, and ponds across much of the northern hemisphere, including the Southwestern United States, and grows in USDA Zones 2–9. Unlike Eurasian watermilfoil, it is not invasive, but rather a natural component of aquatic ecosystems.

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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Plant Propagation

Seed - we have no information for this species but the seed is quite probably of limited germination, especially if it becomes dry, and so is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame if this is possible. Otherwise store the seed in a cool place in a jar of water and sow in the spring. Keep the pots in trays of water. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the spring. Cuttings can be inserted directly into the soil of the pond at any time in the growing season[56 ]. Division.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Watermilfoil. Northern watermilfoil (Myriophyllum sibiricum)

Native Range

Native to: Alaska, Alberta, Altay, Amur, Arizona, British Columbia, Buryatiya, California, China South-Central, China Southeast, Chita, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, East European Russia, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Inner Mongolia, Iowa, Irkutsk, Kamchatka, Kansas, Khabarovsk, Kirgizstan, Krasnoyarsk, Kuril Is., Labrador, Magadan, Maine, Manchuria, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mongolia, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Newfoundland, North Dakota, Northwest European R, Northwest Territorie, Norway, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Primorye, Prince Edward I., Qinghai, Québec, Rhode I., Sakhalin, Saskatchewan, South Dakota, Sweden, Texas, Tibet, Tuva, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Siberia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Xinjiang, Yakutskiya, Yukon.

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it's worth checking.

Unlike Eurasian watermilfoil, it is not invasive, but rather a natural component of aquatic ecosystems.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Least Concern.

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Growth	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other
Myriophyllum spicatum	Water Milfoil, Eurasian watermilfoil	Perennial	0.0	5-9		LM	N	Wa	1	1	0
Myriophyllum verticillatum	Myriad Leaf, Whorl-leaf watermilfoil	Perennial	1.0	3-7		LM	N	Wa	1	0

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

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Myriophyllum sibiricum - Kom.