Pond FAQs - Plants

Answers to common questions related to Ponds

Design  ·  Materials  ·  Fish  ·  Plants  ·  Algae Control

    Plants

Can you recommend plants?
Why should I put plants in my pond?
What happens to my water plants in the wintertime?

<> Can you recommend any specific type plants?

Pond Plants

Anachris  ·  Cabomba  ·  Cardinal Flower  ·  Cattails ·  Iris
Lilies  ·  Lotus  ·  Pickerel  ·  Pondweed  ·  Rushes
Water Arum  ·  Water Canna  ·  Water Clover  ·  Umbrella Plant

Streams Plants

Cattails  ·  Eel-grass  ·  Fanwort  ·  Hornwort Iris  ·  Marsh Marigold  ·  Rushes  ·  Watercress

BioFalls^® Plants

Parrots Feather  ·  Water Hyacinth*  ·  Water Lettuce*

*Place a fishing line across the face of the BioFalls^® in order to hold back the floating plants. The fishing line can be held in place by the weight of a couple of rocks on either side of the BioFalls^®.

<> Why should I put plants in my pond?

They take up nutrients in water that would otherwise be taken up by algae and they:

• Create an area for fish to hide.
• Cover surface area.
• Food for fish.
• Oxygenate the water.
• Soften up the look of the rocks.

<> What happens to my water plants in the wintertime?

Hardy water lilies deeper than 12 inches will survive the winter. Cut the dead lily leaves and stalks, leaving approximately 2 to 3 inches of tuber at the base of the plant. Hardy bog plants and marginal plants will need all of the dead leaves trimmed down just above the water level.

Tropical lilies and floating plants can be brought inside for the winter or treated as an annual and replace each season. Remove the tropical water lily after the first frost. Cut the lily leaves and keep only the tubers. Store the tubers in a greenhouse or basement.