Aquatic plants help blend a pond into the surrounding environment as foliage grows over rocks and gravel. As the plants grow they also provide shade which protects fish from predators and slows algae production.
Below is a brief description of five plants that we typically use in our installations to help with water clarity and add great color throughout the year. Be sure to check the planting requirements for any plant you add to your pond as some plants require deeper water than others.
Lotus
Aquatic Plants help soften the edges of your pond as their foliage grows over rocks and gravel, helping to blend the pond into the surrounding environment.Few plants lend a more enchanting touch to the garden than the water lotus. Its dramatic leaves and fragrant blooms strike a dramatic pose in any pond or water feature, so much so that often all that is needed is one lotus plant. Lotuses are close relatives to the water lily. There are two primary species of lotus, the Nelumbo lutea is a North American native and Nelumbo nucifera which is often found in Asia. Within these two primary species, there are many varieties ranging from ones that grow two to eight feet tall and others with leaves ranging from three inches to three feet wide.
Pickerel Rush
A graceful and beautiful plant with showy flower spikes growing atop slender, sturdy stems that add visual interest in the water garden. The pickerel rush is relatively easy to grow and is available in bluish-purple, pink, and white blooms. Pickerel rush plants enjoy full sun to part shade and require minimal care. Its glossy, 10-inch, arrow-shaped leaves are just as appealing as its blooms and you’ll often find fish taking cover beneath its greenery.
Water Celery
Water celery has beautiful, serrated tri-colored leaves that appear green, cream, and pink in varying hues. The greater access a water celery plant has to nutrients and sunlight, the brighter the coloration. Water celery enjoys a full sun environment and produces umbels of small, white flowers during the summer.
Canna Lily
This fast-growing perennial has stunning bluish-green leaves with salmon pink flowers that bloom in late summer from July to around September, with full height ranging from three to six feet with a one to three foot spread. The blooms can last anywhere from a couple of days to several weeks depending on the climate that they are growing in. Most water cannas prefer moist, warm climates as they hail from South America. Make sure to seek out a variety that is native to the United States.
Water Lettuce
Water lettuce, or water cabbage, is a floating non-edible pond plant with fuzzy rosettes of leaves resembling heads of lettuce. Each leaf has deep ribs, parallel veins, scalloped edges, and no significant stems. Water lettuce produces small, insignificant white or pale green flowers hidden in the foliage, blooming from late summer to late fall.