Aquatic Plants for Water Features

Overview

Ponds, fountains, waterfalls, and birdbaths come alive with the right plants. Only specific aquatics thrive; others rot. Choose by growth habit.

Free-Floating Plants

Float on surface, no soil, absorb nutrients from water. Control algae by consuming nitrogen; act as natural filters. Examples: duckweed, water lettuce, fairy moss, water hyacinth, butterfly fern, frogbit. Check local restrictions for invasives.

Submerged (Oxygenator) Plants

Grow underwater; essential for fish ponds—provide food, purification, shade, shelter. Pot in weighted containers on bottom. Examples: hornwort, Canadian pondweed, anacharis, cabomba, water milfoil, vallisneria, dwarf sagittaria. Check local restrictions.

Rooted Floating (Deep-Water) Plants

Rooted at bottom, foliage floats on surface. Shade water, limit algae. Includes tropical and hardy water lilies (tropical bloom day/night; hardy day-blooming, some color-changing). Others: four-leaf clover, water hawthorn, yellow floating heart, mosaic plant. Plant in pots or bottom soil.

Marginal (Bog/Shallow Water) Plants

Thrive in shallow water or edges (up to 3 inches deep). Blend water feature into landscape. Pot underwater or plant in soil. Many colors/heights. Examples: lotus, iris, parrotfeather, elodea, knotgrass, Katie ruellia, chameleon plant, calla lily, arrowhead, black magic taro, butterfly ginger.