How much sun does Blackfoot Quillwort need?

Blackfoot Quillwort grows best in part sun conditions.

Where is Blackfoot Quillwort native?

Blackfoot Quillwort (Isoetes melanopoda) is native to AL, AR, GA, IA and 17 more states, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).

Is Blackfoot Quillwort HOA-friendly?

Blackfoot Quillwort takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Blackfoot Quillwort

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Isoetes melanopoda

Last reviewed: August 2026

Toxicity unknown

Blackfoot Quillwort (Isoetes melanopoda) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

part sun

Water

medium

Size

2"–8" H × 2"–8" W

Bloom

N/A

Native to

AL, AR, GA, IA and 17 more states

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 445 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

Find rebates in your area

Browse plants for this ecoregion

Central Great Plains Cross Timbers Edwards Plateau Texas Blackland Prairies East Central Texas Plains Western Gulf Coastal Plain South Central Plains Eastern Temperate Forests Ozark Highlands Central Irregular Plains Piedmont Central Corn Belt Plains Southeastern Plains Interior Plateau Interior River Valleys and Hills Mississippi Alluvial Plain

Black-footed quillwort is a small, grass-like aquatic fern that forms compact clumps of narrow, quill-shaped leaves. This unusual native plant thrives in seasonal wetlands and pond edges where it remains green year-round. It's best suited for specialized water garden applications or naturalized wet areas.

In an HOA neighborhood

Blackfoot Quillwort takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: high. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

Requires specialized wetland conditions
Unfamiliar appearance may seem weedy
Not suitable for typical landscaping

Wildlife value

Provides habitat for aquatic invertebrates and amphibians in wetland settings. The dense foliage offers shelter for small wildlife in pond and marsh environments.

Common questions

How much sun does Blackfoot Quillwort need?: Blackfoot Quillwort grows best in part sun conditions.
Where is Blackfoot Quillwort native?: Blackfoot Quillwort (Isoetes melanopoda) is native to AL, AR, GA, IA and 17 more states, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
Is Blackfoot Quillwort HOA-friendly?: Blackfoot Quillwort takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

Ready to grow Blackfoot Quillwort? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.

Add this plant to your garden

iPhone app Android app

Not sure where to start? Take the 2-minute yard quiz