Need to Add a Little Spice to Your Pond?

Having a water feature like a pond in your yard can be a beautiful serene addition to your home. Depending on how you want the pond to be, water features can include: Dug-in ponds, Pond kits, Pond on a deck, Planter ponds, etc. To the right design, a pond can become a supportive home for a life system and can be easily blended into a yard oasis by using a little creativity.

Ponds are more than just a body of water. They are a source of life and relaxation. Imagine sitting by your pond and watching butterflies dance around bushes, koi fish swim, and frogs leap onto lily pads. These moments of connection to nature are delightful and peaceful.

It is also important to note that ponds serve wildlife as well. For example, overhanging lily pads serve as a protective shelter for tadpole eggs as frogs lay them there while predators are kept away. Plants like umbrella plants and butterfly bushes remove visual monotony and also create shelter for a variety of small organisms and insects. A good wildlife pond can also increase the value of the property it is built on.

The Beauty and Benefits of Pond Plants

Pond Plants - Water Lilies

One of the most well known and loved pond plants are water lilies. They are also known to be very adaptable and can grow in a variety of conditions. Water lilies need a moderate amount of sun and shade to encourage growth as well as the production of flowers. Water lilies are available in a variety of colors including red, orange, yellow, and purple and can be kept in water pots and large ponds. Water lilies are a great addition to any pond, water feature, or even a fish pond as they create a tranquil atmosphere.

Spatterdock: A Hardy and Adaptable Plant

You should consider adding spatterdock to your pond. This plant does well in shallow water and is easily transferable, movable, or separable as it grows. Thanks to this quality, people with ponds love them. Spatterdock helps ponds look nicer and helps improve the ecosystem in other ways too.

Oxygenating Plants: The Unsung Heroes

Plants like anacharis, hornwort, and waterweed that oxygenate the pond are very important to the health of the pond and are needed. These plants take in carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen. This oxygen is crucial to the survival of fish and other living things in the water. These plants also help stop algae from growing, which makes your pond look clean and clear.

How Pond Plants Improve Your Pond's Ecosystem

Plants in the pond improve the health of the pond without taking away from the pond's beauty. Here are some main things plants do for your pond:

Water Quality Improvement

Aquatic plants are like filters. They take in extra nutrients and pollutants in the water, preventing algae from growing and clearing the water.

Oxygenation

Plants put oxygen into the water, which fish and other organisms need to survive.

Algae Control

Competing for nutrients helps plants keep algae in check as well as keep the pond cleaner and healthier overall.

Wildlife Habitat

Frogs and many insects and animals use lily pads and umbrellas for shelter and breeding.

Aesthetic Appeal

Plant life, vibrant with many hues and forms, make the pond a garden centerpiece.

Here are Other Plants for Your Pond

Besides water lilies and spatterdock, the pond's ecosystem can be enriched by:

Lotus

With big, beautiful, and fragrant flowers this pond favorite, a symbol of beauty and purity, does well in the sun.

Pickerelweed

A bee and butterfly magnet, this plant's purple spikes are lovely.

Cattails

A staple for ponds, cattails supply cover for many animals and reinforce the pond's banks.

Water Hyacinth

It's lovely and even more helpful than it seems with floating green leaves and lavender flowers, as it helps clean the water.

Transform Your Pond with TN Nursery

Do you want a beautiful and healthy pond? You can with TN Nursery`s high quality pond plants, with water lilies and spatterdock as well as oxygenating plants. With 35 years of experience TN Nursery is your best choice for all your gardening needs. Bring your pond to life with our great and valuable plants.

FAQs

Do pond plants help keep a pond healthy?

Of course! Pond plants keep water clean, and healthy and support a thriving environment by balancing and maintaining all aquatic life.

What are the special qualities of aquatic plants?

The special thing with aquatic plants is that they can grow and thrive in waterlogged conditions. They absorb out nutrients, filter, and keep the water clean.

How do aquatic plants improve water quality?

The aquatic plants clean the water by soaking up extra nitrogen and phosphorus, and out other pollutants, and adding oxygen.

Do pond plants clean the water?

Definitely! Plants in ponds clean and purify water by soaking up harmful chemicals, reducing algae, and improving water clarity.

What is the best oxygenating plant for a pond?

Waterweed, also known as Anacharis, is one of the best oxygenating plants for ponds. It is beneficial because it releases oxygen and helps with the ecosystem by absorbing extra nutrients.

Do pond plants stop algae?

The answer is yes! Plants help control algae because of how they compete for the nutrients the algae need. In particular water lilies and other floating and oxygenating plants are especially helpful at reducing blooms of algae.

Tammy Sons, Horticulture Expert

Written by Tammy Sons

Tammy Sons is a horticulture expert and the CEO of TN Nursery, specializing in native plants, perennials, ferns, and sustainable gardening. With more than 35 years of hands-on growing experience, she has helped gardeners and restoration teams across the country build thriving, pollinator-friendly landscapes.

Learn more about Tammy →