Grow golden club in shallow water that never dries, in full sun. Golden club is Orontium aquaticum, also sold as never-wet or floating arum — a yellow club without a showy spathe.
Keep it in shallow water and full sun
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Light | Full sun; part shade is tolerated, but leaf color dulls | Do not hide it in deep shade all day |
| Water | Shallow pond, bog, or stream edge that never dries; slow-moving water, or a still liner with a small pump | Do not grow it in a dry pot |
| Soil | Acid, organically rich loam or muck | Do not plant it in lightweight mix that dries in a day |
| Winter | Leave the rhizomes in wet mud | Do not lift them into a dry pot |
Golden Club is Orontium aquaticum, a native pond plant with velvety elliptic leaves and a yellow club. It wants sun overhead and soil that stays wet. [1] Standing or slow-moving water both work if the muck never dries. [2] In a still liner, run a small pump so the water does not sit stale. [3] Leaves stand above the water when the pond is shallow, and they float when the water is deeper. The clump is slow to fill in, so give it a season before you judge the site. The basket recipe and the crown depth sit on Planting Golden Club.
How much sun does golden club need?
Full sun. Part shade is tolerated, but the leaves lose their blue-green sheen if they sit in shade all day.
Does it need moving water?
Slow-moving water is best. In a still pond, a small pump keeps the water from sitting stale. Do not let the soil dry.
Cut faded clubs and yellow leaves
The yellow clubs are short-lived. Cut them when the color fades so they do not rot in the water, and pull yellow leaves the same way. [4] Wear gloves. The sap can irritate skin. Leave the rhizomes in wet mud through winter. Cut dead leaves before ice if they clutter the pond, then wait for new leaves when the water warms.
- Cut faded clubs before they rot in the water.
- Pull yellow or torn leaves down near the crown.
- Wear gloves, because the sap can irritate skin.
- Leave the rhizomes in wet mud through winter. Do not store them in a dry pot.
When do I cut the clubs?
Cut them when the yellow fades, before they rot in the water. Pull yellow leaves at the same time.
Not a calla lily — and not a water lily
A tag that says calla lily is a dry-bed bulb with a hood around the spadix. Golden club has a yellow club and almost no spathe — the small bract withers fast — see How to Grow Calla Lily. A water lily has round pads and a showy many-petaled flower. Golden club has elliptic velvety leaves that bead water — see How to Grow Water Lily. Jack-in-the-pulpit, wild calla, and Asian skunk cabbage all wrap the spadix in a spathe — see How to Grow Jack-in-the-Pulpit, How to Grow Wild Calla, and How to Grow Asian Skunk Cabbage. Arrow arum shares the swamp, but its leaves are arrow-shaped and its spadix sits inside a spathe. Sweet flag is a wet-edge sword, not a club — see How to Grow Sweet Flag.
Is this a calla lily?
No. A calla lily has a hood around the spadix. Golden club is a yellow club without a showy spathe.
Is this a water lily?
No. A water lily has round pads and a showy many-petaled flower. Golden club has elliptic velvety leaves and a yellow club.
If the leaves dull and the clubs stay short, check the light and the water first: give it sun and keep the roots wet, then cut faded clubs before they rot in the pond.
FAQ
Are there other kinds of golden club?
The plant sold as golden club is Orontium aquaticum, the only living species in the genus. Extra shop names such as Big Red are usually the same pond rhizome with a redder stalk, not a second type.
Can I grow it in a dry pot?
No. A mix that dries in a day dries the rhizome out. A pond basket works when the soil stays under water. It is not a patio houseplant.
Does it come back after ice?
Leave the rhizomes in wet mud. New leaves return when the pond warms. If the pond freezes to the bottom, move the basket to a wet, frost-free tub.
Can I eat it?
Do not eat it raw. The plant holds calcium oxalate crystals that irritate the mouth and gut. Keep pets from chewing the leaves.
Is never-wet a spray coating?
No. Never-wet is a common name for this plant because water beads on the waxy leaves. It is not a waterproofing product.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] NC State Extension -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/orontium-aquaticum/ - [2] Pond Informer -
https://pondinformer.com/golden-club-orontium-aquaticum/ - [3] Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center -
https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ORAQ - [4] Royal Horticultural Society -
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/11967/orontium-aquaticum/details
This note is part of Orontium Guides.
More first-season notes by plant are gathered in How to Grow Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors