Pond Plants

Pond plants come in many different styles. Some grow entirely below water, some grow up out of the water, and some just like to have their roots wet. How they grow will determine where you place them in your pond.

Water lillies are the most common type of flower you will see in a garden pond. They come in a variety of bloom colors and shapes. The leaf floats at the top of the water, with the short stemmed flower appearing right on top of the leaf. Water lillies need varying depths of water to grow, depending on the variety. Check with your garden or pond center for the exact growing conditions your water lillies will require.

Marginal plants, such as Water Irises like to have their roots wet, but don’t like to be deep in the water. These plants work the best in shallow areas, or ledges around the edge of the pond. Marsh Marigold, Arum Lillies, and Water Buttons are two more examples of water plants that enjoy the shallow edges of ponds.

Other plants never appear above the waters surface, but many of them serve an important purpose. They oxygenate the water. Fish and other pond creatures require oxygen in the water. Since plants take in carbon dioxide, and give off water they can be a great natural source of oxygen for your pond life. I think I listed this in another post but,Pond Life: Revised and Updated (A Golden Guide from St. Martin’s Press) , is a great resource for water plant information.

Great resources for more information on pond plants:

Here is a great pond life site to share with your children:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes/pond/pondlife.shtml
And a children’s pond book:
Pond