Leafy Pondweed

Potamogeton foliosus

Good

Native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height: 2–30 inches
Light: 4 or more hours of direct sun
Soil moisture: Moist to wet

Will it fit your yard?

Potamogeton foliosus — foliage photograph — Robert H. Mohlenbrock · Public domain · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial

Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves · Bloom

Bloom: NC species account not read yet.

Spread and leaves: no source found yet.

This plant is missing most of its facts, so Quercus is looking them up in old botany books.

Recorded in 4 West Virginia counties.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 83 animals.

White-eyed Vireo
Vireo griseus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia albicollis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Willow Flycatcher
Empidonax traillii
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Wilson's Snipe
Gallinago delicata
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Wood Thrush
Hylocichla mustelina
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Worm-eating Warbler
Helmitheros vermivorum
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus americanus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Yellow-crowned Night-heron
Nyctanassa violacea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Yellow-throated Warbler
Dendroica dominica
Birds. 1 shared habitat

Widespread birds also seen here (36)

Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.

All wildlife of West Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

5CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Potamogeton

Elophila icciusalisPondside Pyralid, Pondside Crambid
Elophila obliteralisWaterlily Leafcutter Moth
Parapoynx allionealisWatermilfoil Leafcutter, Bladderwort Casemaker
Parapoynx badiusalisChestnut-Marked Pondweed Moth
Parapoynx obscuralisObscure Pondweed Moth

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

0BeesSoutheastern regional records

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

18BirdsRecorded eating Potamogeton in West Virginia

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Birds whose range includes West Virginia, most records first.

American CootSeeds. 10 diet records
MallardSeeds and leaves. 9 diet records
Lesser ScaupSeeds and leaves. 5 diet records
Ring-necked DuckSeeds. 5 diet records
Greater Scaup4 diet records
RedheadFlowers and leaves. 3 diet records
Northern ShovelerLeaves and seeds. 3 diet records
Wood DuckLeaves. 3 diet records
CanvasbackSeeds. 2 diet records
SoraLeaves. 2 diet records

Show all 18

American Wigeon1 diet record
Common GoldeneyeSeeds. 1 diet record
Eurasian Wigeon1 diet record
GadwallLeaves. 1 diet record
Northern PintailRoots. 1 diet record
Ruddy DuckSeeds. 1 diet record
Surf Scoter1 diet record
Tundra SwanLeaves. 1 diet record

Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab)

Direct food only. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

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

Birds that eat Potamogeton 18

Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab), CC0 1.0.

American Coot
Fulica americana
Seeds. 10 diet records
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Seeds and leaves. 9 diet records
Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis
Seeds and leaves. 5 diet records
Ring-necked Duck
Aythya collaris
Seeds. 5 diet records
Greater Scaup
Aythya marila
4 diet records
Redhead
Aythya americana
Flowers and leaves. 3 diet records
Northern Shoveler
Anas clypeata
Leaves and seeds. 3 diet records
Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
Leaves. 3 diet records
Canvasback
Aythya valisineria
Seeds. 2 diet records
Sora
Porzana carolina
Leaves. 2 diet records
American Wigeon
Anas americana
1 diet record
Common Goldeneye
Bucephala clangula
Seeds. 1 diet record
Eurasian Wigeon
Anas penelope
1 diet record
Gadwall
Anas strepera
Leaves. 1 diet record
Northern Pintail
Anas acuta
Roots. 1 diet record
Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensis
Seeds. 1 diet record
Surf Scoter
Melanitta perspicillata
1 diet record
Tundra Swan
Cygnus columbianus
Leaves. 1 diet record

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Potamogetonaceae
Flower color: Green

What its natural habitat tells you

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

Growing sources and scope

Flower color · “Green” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Height · “2–30 inches” · Minnesota Wildflowers
Life cycle · “Perennial” · Minnesota Wildflowers
primary_flower_color · “green” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Also known as

Leafy Pond Weed

Conservation status

West Virginia rank	S4
Global rank	G5
WV status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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How to check your spot

Leafy Pondweed

At a glance

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Birds that eat Potamogeton 18

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Potamogeton