A great
step toward a well-balanced pond is learning about the benefits of plants like
lilies, marginals and submerged grasses. Adding a few of these to your pond can
beautify your pond, greatly decrease algae and promote a clean symbiotic system,
keeping your pond clear and beautiful.
Lilies/Lotus Plants
Lilies and
Lotus are very similar looking plants and are often times confused for one
another. Both plants are rooted
either at the bottom of the pond or in a pot that rests on the bottom of the
pond. They grow from long stems
that reach up to the pond’s surface where their large green foliage opens up and
floats on top of the water. Each plant also produces colorful blooms that rest a
top the floating green leaves. The
main noticeable difference between the two is the flower. The petals of a lily tend to be more
pointed at the end than a lotus…more like a daisy. The shape and look of the petals of a
lotus are more rounded and curved, similar to rose. Also, the foliage and flower of lotus is
capable of growing up to a few feet above the ponds surface, whereas the lilies
strictly float.
Both
plants provide critical shade for ponds that are in direct sunlight and also
help with consuming excess nutrients, both of which are key elements in
controlling algae. Lotus are more fragile than lilies, especially when it comes
to shipping and planting which is why they are seasonal and lilies are sold year
round. Of the two, Lotus are
probably more revered due to their limited availability and their place in
Japanese culture.
Marginal/Bog
Plants
These plants are planted along the edge (or margin) of a
pond in just a few inches of water or less. Marginals add texture and height to
your pond and grow best in moist to damp soil. They are very decorative and they
attract birds and butterflies to your pond. Species like Arrowhead, Pickeral,
and Cattails provide height and shade. Marginals in general keep your pond clean
by stopping runoff from entering the pond, making one less mess for you to
clean. They curb algal growth by absorbing the same nutrients (nitrate and
phosphate) that algae need to grow. Marginals are also often referred to as bog
plants, as they are the dominant plant type in a bog filter set up since they
don’t need much water to thrive but are tremendous at filtering out
nutrients.
Submerged Grass/Oxygenators
Oxygenators
are submerged plants (typically grasses) that add oxygen to the pond water
during the day when the sun is out. Submerged grasses grow mostly below the
pond’s surface and are usually placed at the bottom of the pond either in a pot
or planted directly into the bottom soil of the pond. Submerged grasses aid in
purifying the water by absorbing impurities like carbon dioxide, phosphate and
nitrate that cause algae problems.
They also provide safe places for fish and other small aquatic creatures
to get away from predators like birds and raccoons.
A good
rule of thumb is to cover anywhere from 40% to 60% of your pond’s surface area
with pond plants to limit algal photosynthesis. It is beneficial to have more
than a few of these different plants to bring beauty and balance to your pond
environment.
