An Overview of Common Pond Plant Types and Where They Grow

One of the joys of having a backyard pond is creating beautiful underwater scenery with a variety of aquatic plants. Selecting the right assortment of pond vegetation establishes optimal conditions for fish and wildlife. It also enhances the pond’s aesthetic appeal. But with so many options available, it can get confusing determining which plants work best in certain areas of the pond. By learning about the major pond plant types and where they thrive, you can design appealing spaces above and below the water’s surface.

Bog Plants

Bog plants prefer very wet, acidic soil on the outer margins of garden ponds These areas tend to remain saturated from water seepage and rainfall. Bog plants enjoy nutrient-poor conditions Some excellent bog plants include

• Pitcher plants – Unusual carnivorous plants with modified leaves forming pitchers that trap insects

• Sundews – Another insect-eating plant with sticky glandular hairs on the leaves.

• Orchids – Many orchid species thrive in boggy areas, adding beautiful flowers.

• Blueberries – Both highbush and lowbush blueberries grow well in boggy acid soil.

• Leatherleaf – An evergreen shrub with bell-shaped flowers suited for boggy banks.

Marginal Pond Plants

Marginal plants grow in shallow water up to 6 inches deep around pond edges. Some marginal plants extend roots underwater while keeping most foliage above the surface. Others are fully submerged. Great marginal pond plants include:

• Cattails – Tall grassy plants that spread readily in shallows. Provide wildlife food and shelter.

• Arrowheads – Produces arrowhead-shaped leaves and pretty white flowers. Spreads by rhizomes.

• Pickerelweed – Violet flower spikes rise above heart-shaped leaves. Attracts wildlife.

• Sweetflag – Clumping grassy plant with yellow-green flowers and sword-shaped leaves.

Floating Pond Plants

Floating pond plants live freely on the water’s surface unattached to the bottom. Their roots dangle underwater to absorb nutrients. Popular floating plants include:

• Water Lilies – Iconic pond plants with round floating leaves and showy flowers. Prefer depths of 1-6 feet.

• Water Hyacinths – Exotic looking flowers with inflated bulbous stems and showy lavender flowers. Can spread rapidly by runners.

• Frogbit – Mini lily-like plant with tiny floating rosettes. Provides shade for fish.

• Water Lettuce – Fluffy green leaves form rosettes that cover the water’s surface. Help reduce algae.

Emergent Pond Plants

Emergent plants are rooted in the pond bottom with stems and foliage extending well above water. Many grow in 1-3 feet of water. Examples include:

• Bulrush – Tall grassy plants growing in dense stands in shallows. Provide wildlife food and shelter like cattails.

• Pickerel Rush – Emergent plant with thin spiky leaves. Produces dense clumps.

• Arrow Arum – Arrowhead shaped leaves on long erect stems. Bears small green flower spathe.

Submerged Pond Plants

Submerged plants live fully underwater, rarely breaking the surface. They oxygenate water and provide fish habitat. Popular varieties include:

• Hornwort – Feathery green submerged plant that grows in clumps in depths up to 10 feet.

• Anacharis – Fast growing underwater plant with small leaves on branching stems. Ideal for beginners.

• Fanwort – Submerged fern-like plant with finely divided underwater leaves. Grows in clumps.

• Tapegrass – Ribbon-like submerged leaves that grow in thin strands up to several feet long.

Create the Complete Pond Ecosystem

Choose plants from each group to design fully functioning pond ecosystems. Shallow marginal plants buffer the land-water edge. Floating varieties shade and cover deeper areas. Submerged plants oxygenate bottom depths. By incorporating all the pond plant types in suitable areas, your backyard pond will thrive ecologically while providing beautiful spaces to enjoy.