Carolina Fanwort

Cabomba caroliniana

In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in millponds, lakes, slow-moving streams. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

Modest

Native to Louisiana (estimated). How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 94%

Height: 3 inches
Spread: 1–3 feet
Light: Partial shade, Full sun
Soil moisture: Wet to standing water

Space about 2 ft apart from its recorded spread, about 25 per 100 sq ft. Enter your bed size for a count

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At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Bloom: May to September
Fruiting season: Spring to fall

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Not yet recorded · Leaves

Recorded in 40 Louisiana parishes.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 2

Ponds, lakes and their shores

Still water and its edges: ponds, lakes, millponds and reservoirs.

Streams, rivers and their banks

Flowing water and its banks, bars and rocky shoals.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

1CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including LA

Genus host records with ranges including LA · Cabomba

Feltia jaculiferaDingy Cutworm

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

0BeesSoutheastern regional records

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Cabombaceae
Hardiness: Zones 6–10
Flower color: White
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth habit: Several stems
Foliage color: Gray-green
Fruit begins: Spring
Fruit ends: Fall

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “May to September” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “White” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Foliage color · “Gray-green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Several stems” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 6–10” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
Height · “3 inches” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
Life cycle · “Perennial” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Light · “Partial shade; Full sun (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
primary_flower_color · “white” · USDA PLANTS
Soil · “Water; Wet (documented habitat)” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Spread · “1–3 feet” · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder

Also known as

Fanwort

Conservation status

Louisiana rank	SNR
Global rank	G3G5
LA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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Carolina Fanwort

At a glance

Natural habitats

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Cabomba