Weeds Identification Gallery

Gregg Arrowhead

  • Sagittaria longiloba
  • Water plantain Family: Alismataceae
Updated: 09/2025

Gregg arrowhead is a native aquatic perennial that occurs in the Central Valley at low elevations (up to 100 feet (300 m). It resembles California arrowhead and is frequently found in wet excavated areas, irrigation ditches, and rice fields where stands are thin.

Seedling

Seedlings are submerged. Cotyledons (seed leaves) have narrow, light green leaves that taper to a point. Rectangular markings on the leaves help distinguish seedlings from ducksalad, river bulrush, and ricefield bulrush. The characteristic arrowhead leaf-shape appears with the third or fourth true leaf.

Seedling showing narrow, light green leaves tapering to a blunt point; . Credit: Jack Kelly Clark, UC IPM
Seedling. Credit: Jack Kelly Clark, UC IPM

Mature Plant

Leaves are much narrower than that of California arrowhead. The two bottom leaf lobes are about twice as long as the front lobe, whereas the two bottom leaf lobes of California arrowhead are shorter and broader.

Mature plant in paddy showing flowering stems and distinctively narrow, arrowhead-shaped leaves; . Credit: Jack Kelly Clark, UC IPM
Mature plant. Credit: Jack Kelly Clark, UC IPM

Flowers

Flowers have three white petals. Unlike Gregg's arrowhead, California arrowhead has two (rarely three) flowers at the lowest flowering stem node.

Mature plant in paddy (with a Gregg arrowhead) showing its distinctively broad, arrowhead-shaped leaves; . Credit: Jack Kelly Clark, UC IPM
Leaves. Credit: Jack Kelly Clark, UC IPM

Reproduction

Gregg arrowhead spreads through seeds and underground stems.

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