Wapato

You may have read about our Northwest indigenous residents relying on native Wapato plants as a staple. The edible tubers of Wapato (Sagatteria latifolia) are potato-like and are grown today in China and Japan in large quantities. This plant requires several inches of standing water in a wetland environment to thrive. It blooms in August and has a distinctive large "arrowhead" leaf, making it easy to identify. It is also called broad-leaf arrowhead, duck potato, and Indian potato. The tubers are said to taste like other potatoes, but with a slight bitterness.

Locally, natural wetlands have been reduced for development and agriculture, drastically limiting the native species. One source stated that the largest remaining Oregon colony of Wapato is near Bonneville Dam in the Gorge. Waterfowl, shorebirds, and geese readily eat the Wapato tubers.

I could not find a local source for the edible tubers. If you are able to purchase some Wapato tubers for consumption, here's and interesting article: http://honest-food.net/2012/01/17/a-teasing-taste-wapato-pasta/

More Wapato information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagittaria_latifolia

Interesting (but lengthy) college paper written about restoring Wapato to Yakima area, and as it relates to health and diet. http://nativecases.evergreen.edu/docs/washinescasestudy.pdf

These blossoms are about 1 inch across.

Arrow shaped leaf is about a foot long.

Due to our extremely dry summer, the water is gone!