Wapato
Latin name: Sagittaria latifolia
Hul’q’umi’num name: sqewth
Photo credits: Kendall McLaughlin
Description: Wapato is a fast-spreading aquatic plant commonly found in freshwater intertidal wetlands. It grows from a fleshy, oblong tuber that ranges in color from white to pale blue. The plant propagates rapidly through an extensive network of rhizomes. Each Wapato produces a prominent arrow-shaped leaf that rises above the water’s surface, while slender, lance-shaped leaves remain submerged. Its delicate white flowers bloom in clusters of three atop tall, upright stems, adding to its distinctive appearance.
Photo credits: Kendall McLaughlin
Harvest and Sustainability: This plant thrives in low-elevation wetlands, including lakes, ponds, ditches, marshes, low-salinity tidal zones, and slow-moving rivers. The ideal time to harvest is in autumn, when the plant redirects carbohydrates back into its tuber, maximizing nutritional value. However, spring harvesting is also possible once the leaves have emerged. Traditionally, people have paddled through shallow waters and pulled the tubers from the mud by hand. In deeper areas, tubers can be loosened using feet, sticks, or shovels, causing them to float to the surface. Of these methods, using one's feet is considered the most effective.
This species spreads rapidly through its rhizomes, which can be replanted from harvested plants to replenish and expand the population.
Photo credits: Kendall McLaughlin
Uses: The edible tuber of sqewth is a staple food for many Coast Salish Nations. It can be eaten raw or cooked. When steamed or boiled, its flavour is similar to camas. Raw tubers, however, have a bitter taste. Peeling the tuber before consumption is essential. If left unwashed, the tubers can be stored for several months.
The plant’s leaves also have traditional medicinal uses—they can be applied as a poultice to stimulate blood flow.
