Pond plants are unique, water-loving beasts. You may ask yourself, how do pond plants get their nutrients?
How do they get nutrients from the water? Some are totally attached from soil. They are detached from the soil. Right?
What plants will survive in your pond? We’re covering everything below!
Submerged Plants that Get Nutrients from the Soil
Submerged plants are plants that are rooted to the bottom of your pond.
They usually like water that’s 10 feet or less, although some live in water as deep as 20-feet.
Fish like to use these submerged plants for shelter; these can include juvenile fish and small fish like minnows.
The reason submerged plants are great for shelter is that this greenery provides good shelter from predators. On top of this, submerged plants also release oxygen, which is a big part of any pond.
That being said, in your backyard pond you’ll want to be careful that the submerged plants don’t overgrown too much.
This can make it hard for fish and other pond life getting around.
A nice mix of submerged plants along with other plants (and open space) is ideal!
So, what are some submerged types of pond plants?
What else do they need to grow?
Let’s find out!
Anacharis (Elodea)
Anarcharis is among the most popular submerged plants.
This plant sports long to short light-to-dark grass-like leaves from a single cluster of roots.
The easiest way to plant Anarchis is to simply weight the plant and drop it into your pond.
This way, the roots have a chance to attach to the bottom (which is a requirement for submerged plants of this sort).
You could also sometimes accomplish this without a weight by simply burying the roots in the bottom of your pond.
The roots should be about 1-2 inches deep to attach properly. Space several Anarchis at least 1 inch apart from one another so they won’t be forced to compete for nutrients.
What soil does Anarcharis need? Luckily, it’s not picky. Loam, gravel, aquatic soil, or even muck will be accepted!
Eelgrass
Eelgrass can be planted by either seed or transplant.
There are not many places where you can simply purchase live eelgrass ready to go.
You’ll need to stop by a wild pond (or at least ask a friend about theirs) in order to get it.
As you might guess by the name, it looks like long, seaweed-like grass. Why is this underwater plant commonly found in backyard ponds?
Because it provides shelter to pond critters, especially fish, as well as oxygenating the pond itself.
If you happen to have ducks and waterfowl, they will consider eelgrass to be a delicious snack!
American Pondweed
American Pondweed is great for ponds, or terrible for them.
What it comes down to is balance. A medium level of American Pondweed is a great way to provide habitat and food for your pond life (frogs, etc)!
It’s a beautiful leafy plant, it can help provide oxygen under water! Too much pondweed will clutter the pond.
Then, it may block out enough sun light, etc.
So, the submerged plant American Pondweed can be good, but try not to let it take over!
Free-Floating Pond Plants That Get Nutrients From the Water
Freeliving plants are pond plants that obtain their nourishment directly from the water.
This means their roots don’t reach down to soil; instead, these plants simply free-float.
Freeliving plants are wonderful hiding spots for pond critters!
They also soak up excess detritus and nutrients, keeping the pond cleaner and assisting in fighting back algae!
American Featherfoil
American Featherfoil is a flowering water plant. It likes to grow in shallow still water.
The plant grows in a series of tall, 5-petaled flowers and the leaves are submerged or float on the water.
It’s somewhat rare for a free-floating plant, but nevertheless remain sought-after for its unusual look!
So, how do you plant American Featherfoil in your pond?
Simply BH make sure your pond has a proper, still, shallow area for it. Then you’ll need to transplant some from a wild pond.
This is a semi-rare water plant in some places, so it also depends on where you live.
The coastal plants of England are a well-known growing location of American Featherfoil. From Experience: Can be found in swamps, ditches and ponds. If you’re lucky enough to find some of these semi-rare plants where you are, you’re in luck!
Duckweed
Duckweed is an additional type of floating plant that creates a green blanket for your pond via thousands of tiny leaves.
Duckweed offers shelter and shade to the creatures living in your pond while keeping algae levels in check.
Floating Crystalwort
Floating Crystalwort is yet another free-floating plant that’s easy to get into your pond.
Moss-like in appearance with its long stringy leaves, it will give your pond a brilliant appearance. It will also be a shelter for pond life, substantively tadpoles, fry, and other small critters.
It’s very easy to plant in your pond as well. Just break off a living cluster and the separate, small clusters will spread. That should do the trick!
Emergent Plants that Float but Get Nutrients From Soil
Emergent plants are a cross between floating plants and submerged plants.
They float, but their roots need soil below in order to access nutrients.
This means they like shallow water, which allows them access to the bottom of the pond. Ideally water like this would be 10ft in depth or less.
With that said, what are some popular emergent plants? Let’s take a look!
Cattails
Cattails are probably some of the most easily recognised emergent plants, growing in the shallow sides of ponds with their roots anchored in the soil, heads towering over the water.
A unique pro of them in ponds is that they can help break fierce winds, giving more shelter to the animals of the pond.
They also look quite beautiful, with their tall, thin stems and topped by a conical head.
Pickerel Weed
Pickerel Weed is a perennial of ponds, rooting in the soil beneath while the leaves and flowers rise above the water.
They are noted for their beautiful purple flowers and heart-shaped leaves. A remarkable thing about the Pickerel Weed is that parts of it are edible, the seeds among the rest.
It gives shelter for pond-life.
Water Lily
Did you realise that water lilies are emergent plants?
Yes, they take hold of the bottom of the pond, with both flowers and leaves buoyed on the surface.
Both furnish shelter for life in the water, as well as being so ornamental!
Conclusion
So, if you were asking ‘how do pond plants get nutrients,’ there’s your answer.
Some get it from the soil (submergent), whereas others get it directly from the water (free-floating).
There are also plants that get their nutrients from the soil, yet are also floating on the surface of the water and these are known as emergent. Now you know!