Creeping Burhead
Echinodorus cordifolius
Last reviewed: September 2026
Echinodorus cordifolius (creeping burhead) is a wetland forb that blooms from March through August, favoring shaded sites with consistently wet soil such as swamp edges, ditches, and pond margins in the southeastern and south central United States.
Toxicity unknown
Creeping Burhead (Echinodorus cordifolius) 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
shade
Water
high
Size
12"–48" H × 12"–24" W
Bloom
Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug
Native to
AL, AR, FL, GA and 14 more states
Before you buy
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Creeping Burhead is a wetland native that thrives in consistently moist to wet soils and shaded areas. This aquatic perennial produces white flowers from spring through late summer and works well in rain gardens or bog areas. It requires constant moisture and will not survive in typical landscape conditions without supplemental water.
Growing Creeping Burhead
Grow Creeping Burhead in shade and high water. Mature plants reach 12 to 48 inches tall and spread 12 to 24 inches wide. Expect low maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.
In an HOA neighborhood
Creeping Burhead is an HOA-friendly choice. Maintenance level: low. Tidiness: 1 out of 5.
Works well in: mid zone.
- May flop without support
- Best in less formal zones
Wildlife value
The long blooming period provides nectar for various pollinators throughout the growing season. As an aquatic plant, it also provides habitat for beneficial insects and amphibians in water gardens.
Common questions
- When does creeping burhead bloom?
- Creeping burhead typically flowers from March through August, with white blooms appearing on and off through the warmer months.
- How much light does creeping burhead need?
- This plant is adapted to shaded conditions, growing well in the dimmer light found along wooded stream banks, ditches, and swamp margins.
- How much water does creeping burhead need?
- Creeping burhead needs consistently high moisture and does best in saturated or shallowly flooded soil, similar to the wetlands, ditches, and pond edges where it is commonly found.
- What color are the flowers on creeping burhead?
- The flowers are white, typically with a yellow center, and are held on stalks above the rounded, heart shaped leaves.
- Is Creeping Burhead HOA-friendly?
- Creeping Burhead is generally an HOA-friendly choice in the right placement, with low maintenance.
These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Creeping Burhead? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.