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In this post I will try to answer the following questions:

1. How aquatic plants benefit your pond and fish by providing a self regulating ecosystem?
2. What are the types of aquatic plants you can use?
3. How to select your plants?
4. How to plant your aquatic plants?
5. Maintaining and overwintering your aquatic plants?

Aquatic plants can benefit your pond greatly.  First of all, the roots of the water lilies and marginal plants act as a natural filtration system for your pond.   Though you will still need the filtration system with your pumps, the sand and the roots of your plants can also provide that extra filtration by consuming the harmful gasses produced by fish waste.  If you have fish in your pond, the fish waste can produce nitrogen, which can degrade into ammonia, which is highly toxic to your fish. 

Garden Pond

The roots of water lilies or other water plants along with your marginal plants trap this nitrogen, which is a benefit for the plant itself.  In other words, the fish benefit the plants by providing fertilizer and the plants benefit the fish by consuming their waste, oxygenating and denitrifying the pond. Plants can also reduce the algae growth.

What kind of water plants should I get?

There are a huge variety of water plants out there from marginal plants, rooted pond plants to floating plants.  Each of these plants provides its own unique function.  The different types of plants and their functionality are listed below.

1. Marginal Plants: Marginal plants are plants that grow on the edge of your pond. These plants like shallow water and prefer to have the crown or the base of its leaves above the water level, but the roots need to be in water. Cold hardy marginal plants include, but are not limited to water iris, cat tails, lotus, and various water grasses. If you like the tropical feel, add a taro in as a marginal plant.

   This is a tropical plant, so if you want to keep it, it needs to be kept inside over the winter. The taro can get very big. Mine, which I have already overwintered for three years is at least four feet tall. It is a beautiful plant with huge heart-shaped leaves that can span over a foot across to three feet long. The only draw back to having a taro is wind. The broad leaves of the taro are very susceptible to wind damage.



Water Lilies (Pond Plant)

2. Rooted Water Plants: Rooted water plants are aquatic plants that like to have their roots and stems completely under water and the leaves usually float on top of the water. The most common of rooted water plants are water lilies. Water lilies are typically known for their round leaves that float on top of the water. These plants can also provide shade for the fish on hot summer days.

   Take note, however, koi will destroy water lilies by chewing at the leaf stems under the water. Water lilies can come in cold hardy and tropical. The difference is that cold hardy water lilies have a smooth edge to their leaves, whereas tropical water lilies have a toothed edge to their leaves. Water lilies will flower and there is a huge variety of hybrids that have a wide range of colors in the blossom. Water lilies need full sun to blossom.

3. Floating Plants: These are plants that root themselves in the water itself and get their nutrients from the nitrates produced by fish waste and decaying plant matter in the pond. Floaters in general are tropical plants. The most common floaters people like to buy for their ponds are either water hyacinths or water lettuce.

   
   

   For those who live in Southern Florida, DO NOT USE water hyacinths or water lettuce in your ponds. In that region these floaters are very invasive and can choke your pond. In fact these floaters are problem in Lake Ocachobee area of Florida, where these floaters clog inland waterways and irrigation canals. In northern climates, water hyacinths and water lettuce provide shade for the fish and reduce the algae growth because they rely on the same nutrients as algae does.

There are several kinds of cold hardy marginal plants that you can get for your pond.  Some of these flower and add more beauty to your water garden.

1. Water Iris: Water iris look like any other iris that you would have in a flowerbed in your regular garden.  The only difference is that the water iris is bigger and taller.  Water iris blossoms in late May to mid June and the flowers can be yellow, white, purple, blue, or black.  Water iris can do well in both sun and shade.


Water Iris (Pond Plant)

2. Lotus: Lotus is a plant native to North America and Asia.  Lotus, however, are for those who have a large pond with a shallow area at one edge.  They are very large and do drink the water, literally.  Do not get lotus flowers if you do not have a fairly large pond.  These flowers, though beautiful do consume lots of water and will dry out a small pond.


Elephant Ear (Pond plant)

3. Elephant Ear: This is a large marginal perennial that grows enormous leaves in the summer.

Kinds of Tropical Marginal Plants

Tropical marginals can be used in the northern climates during the summer months as aquatic annuals.  Some of the tropical marginals can be very exotic and are great for those of you who like that tropical look.   Some of the popular tropical marginals are listed below.

1. Taro: This is probably the most exotic of all the tropical marginals available.  Some people also grow taro as houseplants, but it originally is a marginal plant.  The taro originates from Malaysia.   You can overwinter the taro but it will get big.  Very big.  A taro in water can grow up to four feet tall and can have leaves as large as one foot across and two feet long.
2. Papyrus: The papyrus is a water grass that is native to the Nile in Egypt.   This grass has a nice star-like ball on the top.  There are some papyrus varieties that are cold hardy also.
3. Umbrella Grass: This is also a tropical marginal which has blossoms that are shaped like little umbrellas.

Kinds of Rooted Water Plants

Most of the rooted water plants that people have in their ponds are water lilies.  Water lilies can have flowers that come in a variety of different colors.  The leaves of water lilies are mostly round and float flatly on the water.  Some may vary in size.

Kinds of Floating Plants

There are three floating plants available.  The first two are the most common and sold throughout the colder climates in the US during the summer months.

Water Hyacinth (Tropical Pond Plant)

1. Water Hyacinths: Water hyacinths are native to tropical South America. But they have adapted well in Florida. If you live in Southern Florida, DO NOT place water hyacinths in your pond.  They will take over.  Where the conditions are right for growth all year round, these plants will take over easily. 

   If you live in the northern climates of the United States, however, water hyacinths are a great addition to your pond.  In fact, they are good at cleaning your pond by keeping the algae under control.  Water hyacinths have an oval-shaped thick rubbery leaf that is affixed to a round sphere-like pod that floats on the water. 

   The blossom of the water hyacinth is a light purple hyacinth-like flower. 



Shubunkin Fish

If your pond is in full sun, the water hyacinth can provide great shade for your fish and even keep the water 20 degrees cooler than it would have been without them.   One note, however, Koi and Shubunkin like to chew at the roots of water hyacinths.  This will kill some of the plants.   During the real hot days of the summer, water hyacinths will multiply rapidly, but when the temperature outside gets below 45 degrees and the days get shorter in the fall, the water hyacinths will die off.   You can get water hyacinths at any garden store, which sells water garden plants and specializes in pond plants and supplies.

2. Water Lettuce: Like water hyacinths, water lettuce was first described in Lake Victoria, Africa.   Like water hyacinths, if you live in Southern Florida, you should not have them in your water garden because they can be invasive.  For those of you in the more northern climates with hot summers and cold winters, water lettuce along with water hyacinths can add more of that tropical beauty to your water garden.   Water lettuce does not have a blossom, like the water hyacinth does.  The water lettuce looks like a floating lettuce ball that opens up its leaves in the sun.  The leaves are light green in color and have ridges on them.
3. Water Chestnut: This is a floating plant that is native to Southeast China and is somewhat cold hardy.   The water chestnut is also edible, but it is hard to find.  The water chestnut is a unique floater, however, it is only available in some select stores.

You need a combination of all three types of plants to create a healthy pond

A combination of all three types of plants can provide your pond with a healthy ecosystem.  The mechanical filters do need to be changed from time to time, however, with the marginal plants at your pond’s edge and your water lilies in the middle of the pond add that extra filtration — and it is natural.  There is no need to change natural filters. 

How to pant the aquatic plants in your pond?

It is a tendency among beginner water gardeners to over-plant their pond. Often when you initially plant your pond may look sparse and less beautiful which is the reason why sometimes people over-pant their ponds. Keep in mind that your plants will grow soon and make sure you provide enough space for them to grow and expand.

Even when all the plants are fully-grown the plants should cover only 50 to 60% of the water surface.

Tips to remember
 

Koi Fish

1. Water lilies do not like rapidly moving water. They do well if your pond is a bit more than two feet deep.
2. When you plant your aquatic plants, use plastic pots or baskets specially designed for water garden.
3. Fill the pots using specifically formulated aquatic compost or soil that is low in phosphorous and nitrogen. If you ever use fertilizer use only the ones recommended for pond plants. Never use regular potting soil mix or any type of soil mix containing premixed fertilizer.
4. You will need to cover the top of the pot with pebbles to prevent fish digging and eating roots of the aquatic plants. This is specifically needed if you are keeping koi.
5. If your pond is deep, you can adjust the depth of the plants by placing bricks or flat stones under the pot so that the foliage of the plant is elevated to the preferred depth.
6. Do not directly fill in your pond from the city water supply. Instead let it sit for 48 hours to release all the chlorine before you add the water to the pond.

Overwintering your Aquatic Plants

Tropical aquatic plants will not survive colder climate if left outdoors over the winter. If you live in a colder region, you will need to prepare your plants for overwintering by Fall season. Plants in small water gardens will need to be brought in for the winter. Potted plants can be lifted out of the water and stored in water filled tubs in a cool, dark basement. They will go dormant and can be brought back to the garden in the spring when it is warm enough. Floating plants may be overwintered in indoor aquariums where there is artificial light.

 Benefits of having a healthy pond ecosystem

How does your pond ecosystem work?  Simple.  Your fish produce waste, which decays and becomes nitrates.  Nitrates can break down even more and become ammonia, which is highly toxic to your fish.  Plants keep that under control by consuming the nitrates that your fish waste produces.  The end result — everyone is healthy.  Your fish stay healthy and their colors remain vivid and your plants get the nutrients they need producing a higher yield of blossoms, making your water garden a beautiful sanctuary that you can enjoy.  

Floating plants are also good because the can keep that unsightly green algae under control.  Algae and floating plants consume the same kind of nutrients.  Further more, both algae and floating plants need sunlight to prosper.  It’s just that floaters will block the sunlight the before it reaches the algae. So there will just not be enough sunlight for the algae to take over your pond if you have your floating plants in the pond over the summer.

Hope you enjoyed this article.

Thanks for reading.

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