Water Plants

Edge Plants:

Edge plants are those happy at the waters edge, growing in moist soil or with their crowns (where the root joins the stem), 1-6” below the surface of the water. These plants provide flowers as well as habitat for fish, frogs and aquatic insects. Edge plants should cover 25% of your shoreline.

Some examples:

Acorus (Sweet Flag)
Iris pseudacorus (Yellow Flag)
Pontederia (Pickeral Weed)
Saururus (Lizard Tail)
Scirpus (Bulrush)

Floating Plants:

Include those that float freely as well as those that are rooted on the pond bottom but float their leaves on the surface. They are important for the garden pond because they provide shade and help limit algae growth. Lilies or other aquatic plants should shade 40-60% of your pond surface.

Some examples:

Free Floating

Eichhornia (water hyacinth)
Pistia (Water Lettuce)
Lemna (Duckweed)

Rooted:

Nelumbo (Lotus)
Nymphaea (Water Lily)

Submerged:
Keep most of their leaf surface below water. They provide cover for fish and frogs and also give us some of our least glamorous, but most important aquatic plants- THE

Oxygenators

Ceratophylllum (Hornwort)
Egeria (Anacharis)

Non-Oxygenators

Myriophyllum (Parrots Feather)
Vallisneria (Water Celery)

Many water gardeners grow their plants in containers. If you do this, remember they’ll need to be fertilized regularly with an aquatic fertilizer. We sell a high quality fertilizer, in tablet form for ease of use. Plants in containers may need to be divided yearly.

Plants make a huge contribution to water quality. By providing shade they starve algae of the sun it needs for energy. They take up nutrients required for algae growth. Plants also absorb nitrates that are dangerous to fish, while some release oxygen back into the water, helping fish “breathe”.

Some Common Water Plant Questions

DO I NEED A FILTER?
No, some features don’t require a filter, but if you have a pond it is very difficult to keep your water clear without one.

DO I NEED FISH?
You will want them! Fish are fun. They also love mosquito larvae, and if you have a pond, they are integral to making a complete ecosystem.

HOW MANY FISH CAN I HAVE?
A typical pond can usually support 10 inches of fish for every 10 sq. ft. of surface area. A 10x10 pond with 100 sq. feet could therefore support about 20 five-inch fish.

WHAT CHEMICALS DO I NEED?
A well set up water feature shouldn’t need any chemicals. Friendly bacteria will help keep the water clear and clean. We recommend and sell Microbe-lift.

HOW MUCH MAINTAINANCE DO THEY REQUIRE?
We clean our water features once a year and add bacteria every week or two throughout the season. 10 or 15 minutes a week is all you should need to keep your water feature picture perfect.

WHY DO YOU USE ROCKS IN YOUR PONDS?
The gravel hides the liner and also aids in filtration by providing a home for beneficial bacteria, which help keep the water clear. It also allows us to grow aquatic plants without containers allowing for a more natural appearance.