Aquatic Plants
Aquatic plants beautify ponds, and they also biologically aerate and filter its pond water. For short, they contribute to creating an ecosystem that’s well balanced. The choices for aquatic plants are countless, and choosing a variety of from several of them will make the pond uniquely beautiful, while promoting balance as well. Some facts on aquatic plant will help you determine and decide on the best types to put in your pond.
There are generally four kinds of aquatic plants that are commonly considered. These include deep-water plants, marginal plants, bog plants, oxygenating or submersed plants, and floating plants.
Deep Water Plants
Several aquatic plants like water lilies and lotus grow in deep water, thus called deep-water plants. Water lilies and lotus bloom abundantly when they’re fertilized with sufficient amounts of “aquatic plant fertilizers”, and they’re also obtainable in various sizes and colors.
Water lilies are among the favorite choices for deep-water plants, famous for its assortment of colors, and a number with lovely fragrances. Additionally, water lilies can be bought in tropical and hardy varieties. Water lilies also root at the bottom of the pond, while its leaves float on water surface. Several types bloom during daytime and other at night. These types are generally somewhat simple to grow –just avoid planting them in flowing water.
Marginal Plants
These types of aquatic plants consist of an extensive variety, including famous species like “cattails”. These plants must be planted only in three to six inches of water, but depending on size and variety they can also grow in 2-12 inches of water.
Marginal plants rest nicely in pond baskets placed on pond shelves. Some types of marginal plants include reed mace, arum lily, and marsh marigold, to name a few. This is the most common type of aquatic plant for garden ponds.
Bog Plants
These grow in constantly moist areas surrounding the pond, but not in totally submerged places. They’re visible on water surface but its roots grow underwater. Some popular bog plants include water hyacinths, cattails, and water irises.
Oxygenating Or Submersed Aquatic Plants
These are the ones that grow completely submerged, and do one of the most important jobs of competing with pond algae for nutrients, as well as giving spawning and cover ground for pond fish. They also help in maintaining the life of the pond through providing oxygen regulating the growth of algae, thus leading to cleaner ponds without the work. Two common kinds of submersed plants are cabomba and dwarf vallisneria.
Floating Aquatic Plants
These plants provide a beautiful addition to the pond by simply floating on its surface. A floating aquatic plant is planted differently compared to planting a garden plant. They’re planted in “floating baskets” with an inside layer of newspaper or “untreated” kitty litter.
Floating aquatic plants are featured with hair-like roots, protruding into the pond water, and do not need soil. These types of plants take nutrients from pond water, concurrently keeping the pond water oxygenated and clean. Duck weeds, water lettuce, and water hyacinths are examples of floating plants that give fast cover and shade to the pond surface.
A quick tip on aquatic plants –do not use only one type of plant. The more assortments one have, the more beautiful, healthier, and natural looking the pond will be. However, you’ll need to look for the types that grow best in the area you are in. Checking with the local garden supply may help with the needed information. Additionally, be conscious of the winter climate that you have, as you may end up throwing away most of the plants when warm season ends.
Aquatic plants are wonderful additions to the pond. They provide natural beauty, as well as give a well-balanced pond ecosystem.