Aquatic Plants Flashcards
Pistia stratiotes
water lettuce
shell flower
tropical duckweed
FLOATING - don’t need soil, float freely, keep water cool, & discourage algae (shade)
EVERGREEN aquatic perennial
Family: Araceae
Hardiness: H1B
Foliage: Evergreen
A tender, floating, evergreen aquatic HERBACEOUS PERENNIAL with semi-upright blue-yellow-green leaves. Inconspicuous tubular-shaped creamy-yellow flowers appear in the summer. May be invasive
Stratiotes aloides
water soldier
A stoloniferous PERENNIAL
FLOATING - don’t need soil, float freely, keep water cool, & discourage algae (shade)
Family: Hydrocharitaceae
Hardiness: H6
Foliage: Deciduous
Stratiotes are vigorous, dioecious, submerged aquatic perennials forming stalkless rosettes of toothed, sword-shaped leaves, with white or pinkish 3-petalled flowers, the females solitary, the males in small clusters
Aponogeton distachyos
water hawthorn
A deciduous or partially evergreen perennial
Family: Aponogetonaceae
Hardiness: H4
Foliage: Deciduous
DEEP WATER / SUBMERGED - planted in soil in containers at varying depths in open water depending on the species. Bottom of pond or deeper shelves
OXYGENATORS
Aponogeton are submerged rhizomatous perennials with simple, floating leaves and small, white flowers in forked racemes or panicles held just above the surface
Caltha palustris
marsh marigold
water buttercup
A rhizomatous HERBACEOUS PERENNIAL to 50cm
MARGINAL- plants that grow in soil on the inside edge of a pond where water is shallow or boggy. Often they can also be grown in bog gardens. Good for attracting flying insects and will provide aquatic wildlife with shelter as well as habitat for laying eggs.
Family: Ranunculaceae
Hardiness: H7
Foliage: Deciduous
Caltha are rhizomatous herbaceous perennials with simple, usually heart-shaped leaves and cup-shaped yellow or white flowers in early spring
Gunnera manicata
giant rhubarb
A very robust herbaceous perennial
BOG - these are moisture loving plants which prefer permanent moist soil and can survive these conditions over the winter. Different to those suited to the standing water of a pond so will attract a host of different wildlife
Family: Gunneraceae
Hardiness: H5
Foliage: Deciduous
Gunnera may be EVERGREEN or HERBACEOUS RHIZOMATUS PERENNIALS and range from small creeping plants to very large with huge leaves. The flowers are small, borne in narrow panicles or spikes and may be followed by small berry-like fruits
Primula japonica
Japanese primrose
A DECIDUOUS PERENNIAL to 45cm tall
BOG - these are moisture loving plants which prefer permanent moist soil and can survive these conditions over the winter. Different to those suited to the standing water of a pond so will attract a host of different wildlife
Family: Primulaceae
Hardiness: H6
Foliage: Deciduous
Primula are herbaceous or semi-evergreen perennials, forming a basal rosette of simple leaves, with salver-shaped or bell-shaped flowers which may be solitary or carried in an umbel or in whorls on an erect stem
Nymphaea “Marilacea Chromatella’
DEEP WATER / SUBMERGED - planted in soil in containers at varying depths in open water depending on the species. Bottom of pond or deeper shelves
OXYGENATORS
Aquatic PERENNIAL
Family : Nymphaeaceae
Hardiness : H5
Foliage : Deciduous
Nymphaea are rhizomatous, submerged aquatic perennials with floating, rounded leaves and showy, sometimes fragrant, cup- or bowl-shaped flowers in a wide range of colours, held on or above the water and followed by submerged, berry-like fruits
Iris pseudacorus
yellow iris
A vigorous HERBACEOUS PERENNIAL forming extensive colonies to 1.5m in height
MARGINAL- plants that grow in soil on the inside edge of a pond where water is shallow or boggy. Often they can also be grown in bog gardens. Good for attracting flying insects and will provide aquatic wildlife with shelter as well as habitat for laying eggs.
Family: Iridaceae
Hardiness: H7
Foliage: Deciduous
Iris may be rhizomatous or bulbous perennials, with narrow leaves and erect stems bearing flowers with 3 large spreading or pendent fall petals, alternating with 3 erect, often smaller, standard petals, in late winter, spring or early summer
