Bloomipedia
Spatterdock (Nuphar advena)
Photo: mfeaver via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Spatterdock

Nuphar advena

Spatterdock (Nuphar advena) is a flowering plant in the Nymphaeaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly April–June across the U.S.

Native to Florida

Spatterdock is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Florida it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.

32states where USDA records it
5,876FL sightings*
11,628U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Florida

Quick look

Nuphar advena is a species of Nuphar native throughout the eastern United States and in some parts of Canada, as well as Mexico and Cuba. It is locally naturalized in Britain.

  • It belongs to the Nymphaeaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 32 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Florida. NatureServe
  • In Florida, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–May. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 5,876 research-grade sightings of it in Florida, ranking #26 among the 151 flowers on our Florida list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In Florida, most flowering sightings come in March–May.

Flowering records by month in Florida (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (362 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
T5 See NatureServe for what T5 means. NatureServe
Florida
Not listed Not on Florida Regulated Plant Index (Fla. Admin. Code 5B-40.0055). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Florida. FAC 5B-40.0055
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: CT (S1), KS (S1), ME (S2), WI (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records spatterdock in 32 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Florida counties with USDA records: Alachua, Baker, Brevard, Broward, Calhoun, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Franklin, Gilchrist, Glades, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Levy, Liberty, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Volusia, Walton.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Nuphar fluviatilis, Nuphar ×interfluitans, Nuphar microcarpa, Nuphar ovata, Nuphar ozarkana, Nuphar puteora, Nymphaea advena, Nymphozanthus advena, Nymphaea chartacea, Nymphaea fluviatilis, Nymphaea macrophylla, Nymphozanthus ozarkanus.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 537 counties across 26 states; the most are in Illinois (50), Florida (48), Ohio (42).

Other Nuphar on Bloomipedia (1): Western yellow pond-lily.

More from the Nymphaeaceae family (2 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): American white water lily.

More Florida flowers

American white water lily (Nymphaea odorata)

American white water lily

Nymphaea odorata

Native

🌼 Blooms in FL: March–May
White beggarticks (Bidens alba)

White beggarticks

Bidens alba

Native

🌼 Blooms in FL: January–March
American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)

American beautyberry

Callicarpa americana

Native

🌼 Blooms in FL: May–July

Sources