Amaranthaceae
Alligator weed
Alternanthera philoxeroides
- Family
- Amaranthaceae
- Genus
- Alternanthera
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Common names
By language (9)
- Bangla
- মালঞ্চ শাক, মদরংগা
- Chinese
- 空心莲子草, 空心蓮子草, 喜旱莲子草, 喜旱莲子草（空心莲子草）, 水花生, 水蕹菜, 空心苋, 長梗滿天星
- English
- Alligator weed, Alligatorweed
- Finnish
- Vesikaijalehti
- German
- Alligatorkraut
- Indonesian
- Bayam dempo
- Japanese
- ナガエツルノゲイトウ, 長柄蔓野鶏頭
- Javanese
- Tolod
- Thai
- ผักเป็ดน้ำ
Synonyms
- Achyranthes paludosa Bunbury
- Achyranthes philoxeroides (Mart.) Standl.
- Alternanthera philoxerina Suess.
- Alternanthera philoxeroides f. acutifolia (Moq.) Pedersen
- Alternanthera philoxeroides f. angustifolia Suess.
- Alternanthera philoxeroides var. acutifolia Moq. ex Hicken
- Alternanthera philoxeroides var. lancifolia Chodat
- Alternanthera philoxeroides var. luxurians Suess.
- Alternanthera philoxeroides var. obtusifolia Moq. ex Hicken
- Alternanthera philoxeroides var. phyllantha R.E.Fr.
- Alternanthera philoxeroides var. platyphylla (Seub.) R.E.Fr.
- Bucholzia philoxeroides Mart.
- Bucholzia philoxeroides var. acutifolia Mart.
- Bucholzia philoxeroides var. obtusifolia Mart.
- Celosia amphibia Salzm. ex Moq.
- Mogiphanes philorexoides D.Parodi
- Telanthera philoxeroides Moq.
- Telanthera philoxeroides var. acutifolia Moq.
- Telanthera philoxeroides var. denticulata Seub.
- Telanthera philoxeroides var. linearifolia Chodat
- Telanthera philoxeroides var. obtusifolia Moq.
Flowers
- Flower colour
- white (USDA PLANTS Database)
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Forb/herb
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Lower 48 states: introduced, Puerto Rico: introduced
Photos
Photo: Zhangzhugang, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Zhangzhugang, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Ewen Cameron, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Ewen Cameron, CC BY 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
More in Alternanthera
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- WasherwomanAlternanthera caracasanaAmaranthaceae
- CalicoplantAlternanthera bettzickianaAmaranthaceae
- Brazilian joyweedAlternanthera brasilianaAmaranthaceae
- KhakiweedAlternanthera pungensAmaranthaceae
- Smooth joyweedAlternanthera paronychioidesAmaranthaceae
- Alternanthera reineckiiAmaranthaceae
- Alternanthera echinocephalaAmaranthaceae
- Iresine radicataAlternanthera radicataAmaranthaceae
- SanguinariaAlternanthera ficoideaAmaranthaceae
- Three-leafed chaff flowerAlternanthera filifoliaAmaranthaceae
- Alternanthera corymbiformisAmaranthaceae
Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.