Ponds allow you to cultivate a diverse aquatic garden right in your own backyard. When stocked with lush greenery, ponds transform from simple water features into vibrant backyard oases. The right plants enhance pond health while bringing visual interest through unique textures, colors, and blooms.
But with so many varieties to choose from, it can be overwhelming to select the best plants for your pond This guide covers ten of the most popular aquatic plants used in pond landscapes. Discover how these pond plants can beautify your water feature while supporting a balanced ecosystem
Top 10 Pond Plants
Here are ten excellent aquatic plants to adorn ponds:
1. Creeping Jenny
Often used as a ground cover in terrestrial gardens Creeping Jenny fares excellently when used in water gardening applications. Its rounded leaves form a dense carpet across the water’s surface while dangling rootlets provide filtration. Yellow trumpet-shaped flowers appear in summer. Creeping Jenny grows rapidly so prune regularly to keep it contained.
2. Pickerel Plant
Named for its slender leaves resembling a pickerel fish’s teeth, this bog plant has vibrant blue floral spikes in summer. It prefers consistent moisture so it’s perfect in shallow water up to 3 inches deep Pickerel plant attracts pollinators and adds vertical structure around pond margins
3. Horsetail Reed
Horsetail reed thrives planted directly in pond soil. It offers an architectural look with upright stems segmented by whorls of thin leaves. Growing 4 to 5 feet tall, it sways gracefully along pond edges. Tiny spores on the tips release to spread naturally. Prune old stems in spring to encourage new growth.
4. Taro
This exotic elephant ear plant grows well along pond margins or as a focal point. Heart-shaped leaves emerge on long stalks from the underwater rhizome. Miniature flowers appear in summer but are less showy than the foliage. Taro comes in green varieties as well as stunning variegated types. Grow in pots to control spread.
5. Cardinal Flower
Providing a bold splash of red against green foliage, the cardinal flower blooms vibrantly in late summer. Plant at the water’s edge in consistently moist soil. Hummingbirds love sipping nectar from the tubular flowers. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage reblooming. Mulch in winter to protect the rhizomes.
6. Water Lettuce
A floating plant, water lettuce forms a dense mat on the pond surface. Its leaves are green, rounded, and velvety, resembling small lettuce heads. Absorbing excess nutrients from the water, it helps prevent algae growth. Water lettuce also provides sheltered areas for frogs and insects. Monitor growth closely and remove excess.
7. Mosaic Plant
Sometimes called floating hearts, mosaic plant has waxy, variegated leaves tinged with red, bronze, and green that float Exotic blooms poke just above the water in summer. Native to South America, it requires warm temperatures so only grow as an annual in colder climates unless overwintered indoors. Mosaic plant helps shade and cool pond water.
8. Blue Iris
Among the most elegant pond plants, blue iris thrives planted in boggy soil. Slender leaves shoot up from the rhizomes to form grassy clumps. Large blooms come in shades of blue, purple, white, and yellow in late spring. As they fade, seed pods remain, splitting open to scatter seeds. Irises help filter pond water and control erosion.
9. Arrowhead
Named for its distinctive arrow-shaped leaves, arrowhead is a hardy plant resistant to invasive weeds. White flowers with a purple center appear in summer. Plant in containers buried in shallows or allow it to spread freely. Arrowhead oxygenates the water, provides wildlife habitat, and helps consolidate pond muck.
10. Sweetflag
Sweetflag grows well along pond edges, streams, and other partially shaded spots with wet soil. Sword-like leaves sprout from the rhizomes in an architectural form. Tiny greenish or brown flowers emerge on stalks. Sweetflag helps filter pollutants. Use plant parts to make tea. Prune regularly to control spread.
Types of Pond Plants
Beyond specific varieties, plants fall into categories based on growth habit and preferred water conditions. Consider these major types when planning your aquatic garden:
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Floating Plants – Float freely on the water surface. Help control algae by shading and absorbing nutrients.
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Emergent Plants – Rooted underwater but leaves and flowers extend above the surface. Provide habitat and oxygen.
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Submerged Plants – Grow entirely below water. Help oxygenate and filter ponds. Offer cover for fish.
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Marginal Plants – Grow in shallow water up to 12 inches deep. Help filter water and consolidate pond edges.
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Bog Plants – Prefer moist soil rather than submersion. Help filter runoff entering the pond.
Benefits of Pond Plants
Aquatic plants are not just decorative. They perform many functions that support pond health:
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Filter pollutants and absorb excess nutrients that would otherwise feed algae
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Oxygenate water to support fish and aerobic bacteria
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Provide shelter and food for fish, frogs, turtles, and insects
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Shade and cool water temperatures during hot weather
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Consolidate pond edges and bottoms to reduce erosion
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Enhance natural pond biodiversity to balance the ecosystem
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Improve water clarity by absorbing particles from runoff
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Add visual interest with unique textures, shapes, and colors
Tips for Growing Pond Plants
Follow these guidelines to help aquatic plants thrive:
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Research plant specifics like light, depth, spacing, and growth rate before purchasing
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Quarantine new plants away from your pond for a few weeks to monitor for pests and disease
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Plant in spring once overnight temperatures remain above 50°F
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Plant in pots or baskets to keep spread contained and make repositioning easier
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Use aquatic plant fertilizer tablets to encourage strong root growth
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Prune or thin aggressive plants regularly to prevent overcrowding
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Clean debris from plants and monitor for signs of disease or damage
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Winterize tropical plants by moving indoors or to a greenhouse before frost hits
With the right selection, placement, and care, pond plants create a balanced environment while transforming your pond into a gorgeous aquatic garden. Let nature flourish and enjoy the tranquil beauty right in your own yard.
The Finishing Touches“Alright, so what do you want to crown your baby with?” asks Adam.
Angela lets out a small laugh. “Plants, obviously. I want to make a plant crown for her,” she jokes. Adam smiles back. Oh, I see. But what plants should I put in my pond? I have never had one before, so I have no idea. ”.
Angela shrugs. “Mine, too. We could read about the different kinds of pond plants and see some pictures of them on the pond builder’s blog. They’re ones that usually do well in Des Moines, too. I say we look. It worked last time for the types of koi fish. ”.
Adam pulls out his phone and starts searching online. Angela walks over to help him out.
Here are the types of aquatic plants they find:
Floating Aquatic PlantsThese types of aquatic plants, well, float on the water’s surface.
Floating plants like these are one of the ways to control pond algae. But even though they can help keep your pond clean, they might not be best for everyone who owns a pond.
Be careful with floating plants and learn as much as you can about them. Some of them, like water lettuce and hyacinth, can spread quickly and hurt other plants. They grow easily and quickly. If your state government allows them and you plant them, you’ll need to prune them regularly.
10 Favorite Plants for Around Ponds
FAQ
What kind of plants do you put in a pond?
What are those plants in ponds called?
Do pond plants clean the water?
Should you put plants in your pond?
What plants grow in a pond?
Water lilies: Water lilies are classic pond plants that provide a beautiful display of flowers and floating leaves. They come in various colors and sizes and can be grown in pots or baskets in shallow areas of the pond. Water Iris: Water irises are a great option for pond margins and shallow pond areas.
Are water plants good for a pond?
If you have a pond or another water source or feature in your garden, or indoors, water plants are very useful. To start with, they are beautiful and they make your water feature look natural. But there are other advantages of growing water plants: Some, pond plants like submerged plants, oxygenate the water.
What plants float in a pond?
Floating pond plants, such as water lettuce and duckweed, are crucial for providing shade and reducing the sunlight that fuels algae growth. These plants float freely on the surface of the water with their roots dangling beneath them, acting as natural water purifiers while adding visual interest to the pond.
Can you grow plants in a pond?
Prince Charles’s organic garden, where all used water is purified in ponds, with plants!) But first you need to know a few basic tricks. Of course growing plants in water is not the same as growing them in the soil. There are different basic chores and activities, and here they are for you. Keep the pond clean from dead foliage and plant tissue.