Dig into Plants: Lizard's Tail

Lizard's Tail Other Common Names: Lizard Tail, Breastweed, Water Dragon Scientific Name: Saururus cernuus Native to Alabama: Yes
	Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Sally and Andy Wasowski Click on image to enlarge it

Learn more about…

Basic Plant Information
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database Larry Allain Click on image to enlarge it	I am a vascular plant with no woody stems above ground, so I am herbaceous. I do not keep leaves year-round, so I am deciduous. I die back in winter but regrow in spring for many seasons, so I am perennial. I can grow 1 – 3 feet high and 1 – 2 feet wide.

Ecological Benefits


This plant provides food for:


Butterflies	Other Pollinators	Other Birds


Other ecological benefits: Seeds are food source for Wood Ducks

Maintenance Notes
Dormant in winter. It is best to contain it in a pot with no holes and be watchful that it doesn’t creep over the edge, as it grows vigorously and can take over quickly. When watering, hold hose to base of plant for a count of 5 seconds. Water should reach all roots. Avoid sprinkling water on the leaves. Requires moist to wet soil at all times.
Moist to wet soil at all times: water three times per week.

Habitat Requirements

This plant prefers:
Part Sun/ Shade (2-6 hours of sun per day) Shade (Less than 2 hours of sun per day)	Prefers wet to moist soil at all times	Sandy, Loamy, Clay, or Moist Soil

Leaf, Flower & Seed Identification

LEAF DESCRIPTION				Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Sally and Andy Wasowski Click on image to enlarge it
Leaf Characteristics Chart (PDF)

Shape: Cordate	Margin: Entire/Smooth	Arrangement: Alternate	Form: Simple


Description:
Green leaves and stems are hairy when young and smooth when older; leaves are 3-6 inches long; stem zigzags and is often thickened and spongy at the base; palmately veined


FLOWER DESCRIPTION			Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Ray Mathews Click on image to enlarge it
Flower Shape Chart (JPG)

Color: White	Shape: Achlamydeous ("naked" – no petals or sepals)	Bloom Months: Apr – Aug

Description:
Clusters of tiny white, finger-like flowers connected by short stalks at equal distances along central stem (raceme); raceme is produced opposite of a leaf and looks like a bottlebrush; clusters droop when young but become erect as they age; flowers have citrus aroma



SEED DESCRIPTION			Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Collene Sweeney Click on image to enlarge it

Type: Fruit – Dry Seed Pod	Description: Small, warty fruits take the place of flowers once they’re spent; the dry, brown fruit splits open to release small seeds	Months in Seed: Jul – Sep

Plant spreads by:
Seeds and Rhizomes/ Tubers/ Roots & Shoots This plant can be very vigorous, and should be confined to a pot to restrict its rhizomes

Plant Life Cycle

Plant Life Cycle:

All plants start life as a seed.
The seed turns into a sprout when it grows roots.
The sprout becomes a seedling as grows a stem and leaves above the ground.
After the seedling becomes an adult plant it will grow flowers.
After the flowers finish blooming, each flower turns into a seed.
When the seeds fall down to the ground, the plant life cycle starts again.
Each seed can become a plant if it has the food, water and space that it needs to grow.

General Plant Life Cycle – Dreamstime
Click on image to enlarge it

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

Quick Fact Sheet (Condensed Species Info)		QR Code (Links to this Webpage)

Plant ID Sign (Text Only): Ready as-is PDF		Plant ID Sign (Text Only): Editable Word Doc

Plant ID Sign (With Picture): Ready as-is PDF		Plant ID Sign (With Picture): Editable Word Doc

INFORMATION SOURCES FOR THIS PLANT

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center's Plant Database		Florida Native Plant Society
Alabama Plant Atlas		North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Missouri Botanical Garden		Native Plant Trust

Quick Links

Lizard’s Tail

Other Common Names: Lizard Tail, Breastweed, Water Dragon

Scientific Name: Saururus cernuus

Native to Alabama: Yes

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – Sally and Andy Wasowski

Learn More About...

Basic Plant Information

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database – Larry Allain

I am a vascular plant with no woody stems above ground, so I am herbaceous.
I do not keep leaves year-round, so I am deciduous.
I die back in winter but regrow in spring for many seasons, so I am perennial.
I can grow 1 – 3 feet high and 1 – 2 feet wide.

Ecological Benefits

This plant provides food for:

Butterflies

Other Pollinators

Other Birds

Other ecological benefits: Seeds are food source for Wood Ducks

Maintenance Notes

Dormant in winter.
It is best to contain it in a pot with no holes and be watchful that it doesn’t creep over the edge, as it grows vigorously and can take over quickly.
When watering, hold hose to base of plant for a count of 5 seconds. Water should reach all roots.
Avoid sprinkling water on the leaves.
Requires moist to wet soil at all times.

Moist to wet soil at all times: water three times per week.

Habitat Requirements

This plant prefers:

Part Sun/ Shade
(2-6 hours of sun per day)

Shade
(Less than 2 hours of sun per day)

Prefers wet to moist soil at all times

Sandy, Loamy, Clay,
or Moist Soil

Leaf, Flower & Seed Identification

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – Sally and Andy Wasowski

LEAF DESCRIPTION

Green leaves and stems are hairy when young and smooth when older; leaves are 3-6 inches long; stem zigzags and is often thickened and spongy at the base; palmately veined

Leaf Characteristics Chart (PDF)


Shape: Cordate	Margin: Entire/Smooth

Arrangement: Alternate	Form: Simple

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – Ray Mathews

FLOWER DESCRIPTION

Clusters of tiny white, finger-like flowers connected by short stalks at equal distances along central stem (raceme); raceme is produced opposite of a leaf and looks like a bottlebrush; clusters droop when young but become erect as they age; flowers have citrus aroma

Flower Shape Chart (JPG)


Color: White	Shape: Achlamydeous ("naked" – no petals or sepals)	Bloom Months: Apr – Aug

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – Collene Sweeney

SEED DESCRIPTION

Plant spreads by:
Seeds and Rhizomes/ Tubers/ Roots & Shoots
This plant can be very vigorous, and should be confined to a pot to restrict its rhizomes


Type: Fruit - Dry Seed Pod	Description: Small, warty fruits take the place of flowers once they’re spent; the dry, brown fruit splits open to release small seeds	Months in Seed: Fall - Winter

Plant Life Cycle

Plant Life Cycle:

All plants start life as a seed.
The seed turns into a sprout when it grows roots.
The sprout becomes a seedling as grows a stem and leaves above the ground.
After the seedling becomes an adult plant it will grow flowers.
After the flowers finish blooming, each flower turns into a seed.
When the seeds fall down to the ground, the plant life cycle starts again.
Each seed can become a plant if it has the food, water and space that it needs to grow.

General Plant Life Cycle – Dreamstime

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

Quick Fact Sheet
(Condensed Species Info)

Plant ID Sign (Text Only):
Ready as-is PDF

Plant ID Sign (With Picture):
Ready as-is PDF

QR Code
(Links to this Webpage)

Plant ID Sign (Text Only):
Editable Word Doc

Plant ID Sign (With Picture):
Editable Word Doc

FOLLOW US

JOIN/RENEW

SHOP

QUICK LINKS

ALABAMA NATURE CENTER

OUTDOOR CLASSROOM

HUNTING & ANGLING HERITAGE

RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP

WILD GAME COOK-OFFS