pond plant
Water Snowflake (Nymphoides indicum variegata)
- Hardiness: Zones 8 – 11
- Height: 6″
- Flower: White frilly flowers
- Foliage: Small circular green or varigated pads float across the surface giving a look of miniature waterlilies
- Comments: A great surface marginal plant that spreads quickly
Water Clover (Marsilia Mutica)
- Hardiness: Zones 6-11
- Height: Leaves float on pond surface, spreads, and will grow in sun or shade
- Flower: none
- Foliage: Leaves resemble a four-leaf clover, and have reddish-brown stripes that splits the darker green on the top half of the leaflets and the lighter green of the lower half.
- Comments: Plant 4 inches to 9 inches below the surface of the water. It also will grow in damp soil. It is cold hardy but will not survive in temperatures below 10 degrees celcius.
- If crowded, it sends up aerial growth in addition to surface growth
Pennywort (Hydrocotyl Umbellata)
- Hardiness: 5-10
- Height: 6” – 8”
- Flower: none
- Foliage: Trailing vine growth; rounded leaves suggestive of pennies. When iron is low, the leaves will turn yellow at the edges. Overall growth will be slower, and leaf size smaller when nutrients are lacking.
- Comments: Grows well in shade ponds and in waterfalls.
- Massive root system. Can be free floater.
Parrot feather (Myriophyllum Brasiliensis)
- Hardiness: 5-11
- Height: 6″ – 12″
- Foliage: Small leaves in whorls; aerial foliage have a deeper blue-green color, red stems
- Comments: Often used in aquariums as an oxygenator; submerged plant but will root and develop aerial foliage in shallow water;
- obtains nutrients directly from water; soil planting not necessary
- The larger variety Myriophyllum Aquaticum can become invasive and is being removed from many suppliers availability list.
Water poppy (Hydrocleys nymphoides)
- Hardiness: Zones 9-11
- Height: 2- 2.5″ on water surface
- Flower: short-lived light yellow flowers with a red and brown center, borne in abundance; flowers stand above the water
- Foliage: Thick, shiny dark green heart-shaped leaves; 2 to 4″ wide leaves on long, trailing stems
- Comments: Will survive in water up to 12 to 15″ deep, but prefers shallow conditions (6″); prefers rich topsoil; overwinter indoors in shallow tub but keep moist and provide good light