Redhead Grass
Potamogeton perfoliatus

Redhead grass is an underwater grass with flat, oval leaves that wrap around the base of straight, slender stems. It grows in fresh to moderately brackish tidal waters in the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

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Redhead grass growing under water.
Redhead grass, a type of underwater grass or submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), grows at Round Bay on the Severn River in Anne Arundel County, Md., on Aug. 26, 2019. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)

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Appearance

Redhead grass is made up of straight, slender stems that are reddish or whitish. The plant has flat, oval leaves with curled edges and visible veins. Leaves grow in an alternate or slightly opposite pattern.

The base of the leaves wrap around the stem. Spikes of tiny flowers poke above the water’s surface in early-mid summer. Redhead grass has an extensive root and rhizome system.

Predators

Migratory waterfowl feed on redhead grass.

Reproduction and life cycle

Reproduces asexually in early-mid summer when flowers are pollinated. Plants produce dark-colored fruits that contain seeds. The fruits eventually mature and sink to the bottom, releasing the seeds. Redhead grass buds develop over the summer produce shoots the following spring.

Did you know?

  • Redhead grass is probably named after the redhead, a duck that was once a common winter visitor to the Bay region. It is also known as clasping leaf pondweed.
  • Migratory waterfowl feed on redhead grass.
  • Young shoots of redhead grass can be confused with curly pondweed.

Sources and additional information

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