Plants floating into the pond

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Floating plantsare an essential part of most ponds. They shade excessively sunlit reservoirs, provide shelter for many aquatic animals, and oxygenate and purify water. Their leaves float on the surface of the water, and the flowers proudly float above the reservoir. We suggest how to choose the rightplants floating in the pondHere are 10 most interesting floating plants that will work in most garden ponds!

Amphibious knotweed - Polygonum amphibium
Fig. depositphotos.com

1. Amphibious knotweed

Amphibious knotweed(Polygonum amphibium) is a summer-blooming pink, frost-resistant perennial that can also be grown as a coastal species. The floating knotweed leaves are oblong-lanceolate or oval in shape. White-pink inflorescences gathered in spikes appear on the tops of stiff stems in the summer period - from June to August. Amphibious knotweed does well in full sun, but also in partial shade. The rhizomes of this perennial are best planted in a special basket for aquatic plants.

2. Aloe Vera

Another interesting plant that floats into the pond isaloe vera(Stratiotes aloides). It looks like aloe vera or pineapple with leaves floating upwards. It winters at the bottom of the reservoir, dropping gradually there after flowering, to reappear on the surface in spring in the form of a rosette of stiff, pointed leaves. The lovely white flowers of aloe vera in July are also decorative.

Aloe Vera - Stratiotes aloides
Fig. Velela, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

This floating plant prefers a sunny position and alkaline water.Osoka can swim freely in the pondor its root can be attached to the ground with stones.

3. Water nut anchor

Water nut anchor(Trapa Natans) is one of the most interesting floating plants that lives in our water reservoirs. Floating, green leaves of the anchovy (turning red in autumn beautifully) form a rosette from which small, calyx-shaped, white flowers grow. Fruits are spiky nuts that can be eaten after cooking (raw ones are poisonous!).

Water nut anchor - Trapa Natans
Fig. depositphotos.com

Water nuts are planted in baskets with rich, muddy soil.This floating plant does not hibernate in the pond . In the fall, collect the nuts it produces and place them on the bottom of the tank in the spring. New plants will quickly grow out of them.

4. Writing, melting

Piscja, melon(Pistia stratiotes), also known as water lettuce, is a very original floating plant that should appear in every body of water. Its advantage is a rosette of soft, hairy leaves resembling lettuce. The long, delicate roots that hang in the water are used by the fish to spawn. An importantadvantage of melting is also the ability to purify waterand prevent the formation of algae.

Piscja, melon, water lettuce - Pistia stratiotes
Fig. depositphotos.com

This floating plant likes sunny places , soft water and a temperature of 20-30 ° C. It does not take root in the ground, but only floats freely, floating on the surface of the water. Planting it is simply throwing the plants into the water. Unfortunately, it does not hibernate in our climatic conditions. You can spend the winter in the aquarium or buy new plants in spring.For overwintering in the aquarium, you can allocate a small number of plants, because they grow quickly.

5. Spongy limnobium

Limnobium spongia(Limnobium spongia) is a popular floating plant that stays afloat thanks to air cushions in the leaves. Beautiful, heart-shaped leaves with a smooth, shiny plate are the decoration of this plant. Due to its rapid spreading, it is classified as one of thefloating plants that purify water particularly effectively

Limnobium spongia - Limnobium spongia
Fig. depositphotos.com

Limnobium sponge will easily acclimatize in any water reservoir. In our climatic conditions, unfortunately, it does not overwinter in a garden pond, but it can be overwintering in an aquarium, and placed in a pond again in spring.

6. Floating Philanthus

Floating Philanthus(Phyllanthus fluitans) is a plant found in a natural environment in the waters of Central and South America.Under favorable conditions, the leaves of the philanthus will acquire a beautiful red color, and the plant will bloom. Philanthus leaves are covered with tiny hairs that keep them completely dry, even when submerged under water.

Floating philantus - Phyllanthus fluitans
Fig. Agnieszka Kwiecień, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The floating philanthus grows quickly, so you need to trim it systematically. The plant does not hibernate outside, but you can overwinter it in an aquarium in a heated room.

7. Water hyacinth

One of the most beautiful floating plants is the AmazonWater Hyacinth(Eichhornia crassipes), whose lesser-known name is the Fat-Tailed Pontoon. The name of the water hyacinth is similar to the onion hyacinth popular in our gardens. Like him, it has decorative spiky white, purple or lilac inflorescences.The name of the thick-tailed pontoon comes from the thick petioles filled with air. Thanks to themthe plant easily floats on the surface of the water

Water hyacinth, thick-tailed pontoon - Eichhornia crassipes
Fig. pixabay.com

Water hyacinth requires high temperatures above 20 ° C to flower. In Polish conditions it is an annual plant.

8. Carolingian Azolla

Azolla caroliniana(Azolla caroliniana) is a tiny water fern resembling duckweed. It is decorated with leaves that turn red in autumn. The plant is only about 1 cm in diameter, but it grows quickly, forming a kind of root on the surface of the water. If it shades the tank too much, remove the excess plants.

Carolingian azolla - Azolla caroliniana
Fig. depositphotos.com

The plant floats freely on the surface of the water and does not take root in the bottom, and its planting simply consists in throwing the plants into the water. Thisshowy floating plantis usually considered an annual, although it can hibernate in the form of sleeping buds sunk in the mud. It cleans and shades water in ponds very well and works well even in very small tanks.

9. Common swimmer

A very interesting plant is thecommon swimmer(Utricularia vulgaris). This carnivorous perennial eats mosquito larvae, among other things. Thanks to the air bubbles, it can both float on the surface of the water and grab food, which is then digested with enzymes. Its tiny, yellow flowers are gathered in clusters and appear in June.

Common swimmer - Utricularia vulgaris
Fig. AnRo0002, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons

The common swimmer grows best in stagnant water, warming up from the sun. It spends the winter at the bottom of the pond. It can grow as a freely floating plant or planted in a container filled with pebbles at a depth of approx. 0.5 m.

10. Floating frog

Floating frog(Hydrocharis morsus - ranae) is characterized by thin rhizomes with kidney-shaped, shiny green leaves that form a rosette. In May, the plant blooms with lovely, white, three-lobed flowers. This native floating plant looks like a miniature water lily.

Swimming frogs - Hydrocharis morsus - ranae
Fig. depositphotos.com