Common Ten-angled Pipewort is an angiosperm in the Eriocaulaceae family native to the eastern U.S.A. and Central America. It can be found in the moist soils of wet savannas and pine flat woods, bogs, and seeps, seasonally flooded ponds, and marshes. This is the variety that occurs in NC. The plant grows best in moist soils but not standing water in partial shade. It can tolerate seasonal flooding Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: This plant has a low tolerance for calcium carbonate, a calcium salt.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasional Flooding | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Linnear stiff simple blunt leaves in a basal rosette
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; White
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Dome
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Dull white dense head on a leafless stem are firm to the touch and about 1/2 inch wide. Spherical flowers having 2 sepals and 2 petals 4 stamens each petal containing a black gland. Blooms from June to Aug.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
Displays from July to November.
Stem detail
Long leafless stem.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
AL, FL, LA, MS
Distribution
AL, AR, DC, DE, FL, GA, LA, MD, MS, NC, NJ, OK, PA, SC, TX, VA
Wildlife value
Attracts birds, butterflies, and bees.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Pond; Riparian
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Native Garden; Rain Garden; Water Garden