Golden-club
Orontium aquaticum
Last reviewed: August 2026
Golden-club is a wetland forb that blooms from April to June with bright yellow spadices rising above still water. It thrives in shallow ponds, swamps, and slow streams from the Northeast through the Southeast and Gulf Coast.
Toxicity unknown
Golden-club (Orontium aquaticum) 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 shade
Water
high
Size
6"–18" H × 6"–12" W
Bloom
Apr, May, Jun
Native to
AL, CT, DE, FL and 16 more states
Pollinators
flies, beetles
Before you buy
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Golden-club is an aquatic perennial that produces distinctive golden-yellow flower spikes in spring. This water-loving plant forms clumps of broad, blue-green leaves and requires consistently wet soil or shallow water to thrive.
Growing Golden-club
Grow Golden-club in part shade and high water. Mature plants reach 6 to 18 inches tall and spread 6 to 12 inches wide. Expect low maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.
In an HOA neighborhood
Golden-club takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: low. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
Works well in: backyard only.
- Requires wetland conditions unsuitable for typical landscaping
- Unusual appearance may seem out of place in residential settings
- Dies back completely in winter leaving bare areas
Wildlife value
The unusual flowers attract flies and beetles for pollination. Seeds provide food for waterfowl and other wildlife in aquatic habitats.
Common questions
- When does golden-club bloom?
- Golden-club typically flowers from April through June, producing a slender yellow-tipped spadix that emerges above the water surface.
- What growing conditions does golden-club need?
- It grows in shallow, still to slow-moving water such as pond margins, swamps, and wet ditches, and does best with full sun to part shade.
- What pollinates golden-club?
- Flies and beetles are the main visitors to golden-club flowers, drawn to the exposed spadix.
- Does golden-club lose its leaves in winter?
- Golden-club is deciduous, dying back in cold months and resprouting from its thick rootstock in spring.
- Is Golden-club HOA-friendly?
- Golden-club takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
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 Golden-club? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
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