Pond Plants
There are 5 main groups of pond plants: deep-water pond plants (e.g. water lilies), submerged pond plants, floating pond plants, marginal pond plants, and bog garden plants.
The edges of the pond should be used to emphasize background foliage. Start with one or two feature plants for colour. For example, use a water lily for water cover, and a lotus for flower height. Picture how the mature plant will relate to the character of the pond.
Choose the submerged and floating pond plants after you choose feature plants. Submerged pond plants are necessary especially if you have fish, because they provide both food and a habitat. Choose plants that suit the diameter and depth of your pond, because many will not survive if they are not planted at the correct water depth.
Sample Pond Plant Schemes
| Scheme | Deep Water | Submerged | Floating | Marginal | Bog |
| Natural-looking wildlife pond with large bog garden- use a wide range of marginals, native wildlife and fish. | Co-lily, Cape pond weed, Floating heart | Water buttercup, Curled pondweed, Hornwort | Chile parrotfeather, Azolla | Blue flag, Sweet grass, Waterarun, Sweet flat | Eulalia grass, Royal fern, White false hellebore, Speedwell |
| Formal pond with a stone retaining wall and a fountain in the middle. | Japanese cow-lily, Cape water-lily | Common bladderwort, Hornwort, Curled pond weed | Water soldier | N/A | N/A |
| Raised patio pond with a small fountain and goldfish | Aurora water-lily | Canadian waterweed, Willow moss | Frogbit | Marsh marigold | N/A |
1. Deep-Water Pond Plants
The leaves of deep-water pond plants provide cover for fish, and inhibit algae from growing by blocking out sunlight. Their roots will absorb nutrients and fish waste, but you will need at least a 12-inch deep pond to grow them.
| Name | Characteristics | Notes |
| Japanese Cow-Lily (Nuphar Japonica) | A deciduous perennial with erect yellow flowers and floating heart-shaped leaves. It grows in water to a depth of approximateyl 12 inches and has a spread of up to 3 feet. | Prefers still or slow-moving water and lots of sunshine. Can be divided in the spring. |
| Cape Pondweed (Aponogeton Distachyos) | A delicate, almost evergreen perennial, with aromatic white flowers. They grow in water up to 24 inches deep, and it has a spread of 4 feet. | Prefers slow-moving water, flots of sunshine and mild winters. It can be propagated by seed or by division in the spring. |
| Cape Water-Lily (Nymphaea Capensis) | A beautiful water-lily with large, blue/purple star-shaped flowers and big wavy-edged leaves. It grows in water up to 24 inches deep, and it has a spread of 8 feet. | Under the correct conditions, this water-lily will completely cover a personal pond. It thrives under hot summers and mild winters. |
| Floating Heart (Nymphoides Peltata) | The Floating Heart has yellow star-like flowers and small heart-shaped leaves. It is a deciduous perennial, which grows in water up to a depth of 18 inches; it has a spread of up to 24 inches. | This plant requires a lot of sun and will flower throughout the summer. It can be propagated by division in the spring. |
| European White Water-Lily (Nymphaea Alba) | A vigorous flowerer with creamy-white double flowers, and dark round leaves. It grows in water up to 36 inches deep, and has a spread of 7 feet. | This water lily will tolerate cold weather. It is a good choice for a large wildlife pond. |
2. Floating Pond Plants
Floating pond plants have submerged roots, and leaves that float on the surface of the water. Some are rooted at the bottom of the pond, while others have floating roots. Floating plants can provide cover from sunlight, but may need to be controlled with great care, lest they start to be invasive.
| Name | Characteristics | Notes |
| Chile Parrotfeather (Myriophyllum Aquaticum) | A fast-growing, deciduous, perennial plant that spreads underwater like a carpet. Their roots often take hold at the bottom of a shallow pond. | This plant can quickly crowd out everything in the pond. |
| Salvinia (Salvinia Auriculata) |
A free-floating perennial fern which is both delicate and exotic-looking. | Spreading colonies can be invasive. Its branched stems can grow up to 1.5 inches in height. Avoid this plant if you want a natural watercourse. |
| Azolla (Azolla Caroliniana) |
A fast-growing and free-floating perennial with small white flowers. | This plant can be invasive. It can be used to provide a quick covering over a new pond. Avoid this plant if you want a natural watercourse. |
| Water Soldier (Stratiotes Aloides) | A fast-growing semi-evergreen perennial which floats freely on the pond surface. This plant is known for its spikey leaves (it looks like a green pineapple). | This plant sometimes sinks to the bottom of the pond. New plants form as stems. |
| Water Lettuce (Pistia Stratiotes) | A fast-growing and free-floating plant with spongy leaves that cluster. | This plant can provide soft cover. However, it can also quickly crowd out everything else in the pond. |
3. Submerged Pond Plants
Submerged pond plants, conced "oxygenators," thrive underwater while releasing oxygen into the pond. Their leaves are usually submerged and the roots are planted into the mud at the pond bottom.
| Name | Characteristics | Notes |
| Water Buttercup (Ranunculus Aquatilis) | The Water Buttercup is a delicate annual or perennial with small green leaves and white flowers. It grows in water to a depth of 32 inches and has an indefinite spread. | This pond plant thrives in large wildlife ponds where it can spread and root in deep mud. It can be propogated by seed or division in the spring. |
| Curled Pondweed (Potamogeton Crispus) | The Curled Pondweed is a perennial with frond-like leaves and red and white flowers that break the surface of the water. They grow in water up to a depth of 3.5 feet and have an indefinite spread. | This pond plant prefers muddy ponds that have serene water and shade. They can be propogated by division or cuttings in the spring. |
| Hornwort (Ceratophyllum Demersum) | The Hornwort is a deciduous perennial with frond-like leaves that are slender and brushlike. Its flowers are pinkish in color and it grows in water up to 24 inches in depth. It has an indefinite spread. | The Hornwort thrives in deep and still waters. In the spring, it can be propagated by divison or by taking cuttings. |
| Common Bladderwort (Utricularia Vulgaris) | This pond plant is hardy, deciduous, and perennial, with brownish-green leaves. It has insect-catching bladders and yellow flowers. It grows in water to a depth of up to 4 feet and has a spread of up to 36 inches. | This pond plant is a good choice for a wildlife pond. It can be propagated by divison in spring or summer. |
| Willow Moss (Fontinalis Antipyretica) | The Willow Moss is a moss-like perennial with long, hairy slender stems and small spear-shaped leaves. It grows in water to up to 24 inches and has an indefinite spread. | This pond plant is a good choice for a running stream or spring. It can be propagated by divison in the spring. |
4. Marginal Water Pond Plants
Marginal pond plants grow around the edges of a pond where it is shallow (i.e. 2-6 inches deep). They are often grown in containers on pond shelves.
| Name | Characteristics | Notes |
| Blue Flag (Iris Versicolor) |
The Blue Flag is a deciduous perennial with green leaves and voilet flowers which is noted for its ability to stand erect. It will often grow in clumps. | This pond plant will grow in a shallow or boggy area. It can be propagated by division. |
| Sweet Grass, Manna Grass (Glyceria Maxima) | Sweet Grass is a deciduous perennial with striped green and grass-like leaves and spikey green flowers. It grows in shallow water up to a depth of 6 inches and spreads very quickly. | This pond plant is a good choice for a large wildlife pond where the edges are to be blurred into a bog garden. |
| Japanese Arrowhead (Sagittaria Japanica) | This pond plant is a fast-growing perennial with soft leaves and white flowers born on 24-inch stems. As a deciduous plant, it is a vigorous plant with tubers at the end of its underwater stems. | The Arrowhead thrives in a depth of approximately 6 inches. |
| Sweet Flat (Acorus Calamus) | This pond plant is a hardy, deciduous perennial with striped green and thin leaves, and modest flowers. It is somewhat like a cross between an iris and sweet grass. It grows in water up to a depth of 9 inches and has a spread of approximately 24 inches. | Use this pond plant to blend your pond into a lawn or meadow. |
| Water Arum (Calla Palustris) | The Arum is a deciduous, semi-evergreen perennial with heart-shaped leaves and white flowers. It grows in water to a depth of up to 2 inches and has a spread of 12 inches. | This is a good pond plant for a wildlife pond, when you need to hide some of the pond's structure (e.g. tubing). |
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