Pond Plants That Float
The area around a pond is often teeming with plant life due to the ready access to fresh water. There are even a few species of plants that can grow on top of the water, without being rooted in the earth. While many of these floating plants are beautiful, they can quickly overwhelm a small body of water since they don't have much competition. Does this Spark an idea?
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Water Hyacinth
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This beautiful floating plant is native to South America but has flourished well in the southern United States. The water hyacinth has a dense, fibrous root system that hangs underneath the surface of the water where it provides food and shelter for many micro- and macroinvertebrates. Above the water, the water hyacinth has dark green circular or elliptical leaves and one long terminal spike in the middle of the plant that can grow up to 3 feet high. At the top of the terminal spike, you will find a grouping of blue or violet flowers. Water hyacinth is considered an invasive species and it will quickly overwhelm any other floating plants on the water. Because of how quickly water hyacinth takes over a pond or lake, many southern states have regulations regarding the use or ownership of the plant.
Bladderwort
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Bladderworts are small floating plants that can grow to be about 8 inches tall and are generally found in still, shallow water. Above the water, bladderworts have a single stem with three small groupings of yellow flowers at the top. This stem is generally only a few inches tall, as most of the plant is under the surface of the water. Bladderworts have thick groupings of leaves underneath the water. These leaves will fork several times, making the mat beneath the surface look like a series of capillaries. These leaves are filled with air, allowing the bladderwort to float on the water.
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Frog's-Bit
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Frog's-bit can be found floating freely on the water's surface, but it can also take root in moist ground. Frog's-bit has a few tall stalks growing from the center of the plant, with large leaves at the end of the stalks. The leaves can grow up to 3 1/2 inches wide and their shape can vary between round, elliptical, kindey-shaped and heart-shaped. The leaves will often float on the surface of the water but can also extend up above the water. The base of the Frog's-bit will sprout small white flowers that will grow to about 1/3 the height of the leaves. The flowers can be either above or below the surface of the water.
Water Lily
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Water lilies, which are native to the eastern United States, have large circular leaves that float on the surface of the water. The leaves are green and can be up to 11 inches in diameter, with a long slit down one side of the circle. If you flip the leaf over, the underside will be red or purple with many veins running down it. The lily flowers are grown on separate stalks from the leaves. The flowers are generally pink or white and can float on the water or stand above the water. Water lilies can form thick mats, sometimes so thick that the water becomes starved of oxygen and other life has difficulty surviving.
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References
- Photo Credit Garden pond image by Allen Stoner from Fotolia.com
