Waterblommetjie (Cape pondweed)
Aponogeton distachyos
A pond plant with vanilla-scented white flowers; the buds are stewed with lamb and sorrel in winter.
Hardiness: zones 7 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 1 ft tall, 3 ft wide
Harvest: June to September
From: Western Cape
Here: Hardy in the Lake Erie shore climate (zone 6b to 7a), so it can live outdoors in the ground.
Good for: food, pollinators.
Native to: Cape of South Africa. Hardy in zones 7 to 11.
The story
Waterblommetjiebredie, a stew of these pond flowers with lamb and sorrel, is one of the oldest dishes of the Cape, learned from the Khoikhoi who gathered the buds from winter pools. The plant is now farmed in ponds near Paarl.
Planting
Still water one to three feet deep, in sun. Plant the tuber in a basket of loam.
Growing
In its homeland it grows in the cool, wet season and rests in summer. It suits cool ponds elsewhere.
Harvest and use
Pick the flower heads in bud or just open, soak them in salted water, and stew or steam them.
What to watch for
It has escaped from ponds in a few countries; keep it out of natural waterways.
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General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home