Benefits of Each Type of Pond Plant -
Lilies, Lotus, Marginals, Oxygenators
A
great step toward a well-balanced pond is learning about the benefits of plants
like lilies, marginals and submerged grasses. Adding a few of these to your
pond can beautify your pond, greatly decrease algae and promote a clean
symbiotic system, keeping your pond clear and beautiful.
Lilies/Lotus
Plants
Lilies and
Lotus are very similar looking plants and are often times confused for one
another. Both plants aid in providing a well-balanced pond by shading
ponds that are in direct sunlight. They also help the pond by consuming excess
nutrients, both of which (sunlight and excess nutrients) are key elements in
controlling algae.
Lotus
plants tend to be more fragile than lilies, especially when it comes to
shipping and planting which explains why they are seasonal while lilies are
sold year round. Of the two, Lotus are
probably more revered due to their limited availability and their place in
Japanese culture.
Both
plants are rooted either at the bottom of the pond or in a pot that rests on
the bottom of the pond. They grow from long stems that reach up to the
pond’s surface where their large green foliage opens up and floats on top of
the water. Each plant also produces colorful blooms that rest atop the floating
green leaves. The main noticeable difference between the two is the flower.
The petals of a lily tend to be more pointed at the end than a lotus, similar
to a daisy. The shape and look of the petals of a lotus are more rounded
and curved, similar to that of a rose. Also, the foliage and flower of
lotus is capable of growing up to a few feet above the ponds surface, whereas
the lilies are strictly floaters.
Marginal/Bog Plants
Marginals (also often referred to as bog plants) as they are the
dominant plant type in a bog filter set up since they don’t need much water to
thrive but are tremendous at filtering out nutrients. Marginals add texture and
height to your pond and grow best in moist to damp soil. These plants are
planted along the edge (or margin) of a pond in just a few inches of water or
less, are very decorative and they attract birds and butterflies to your pond,
providing a naturally beautiful backdrop to your pond. Species like Arrowhead,
Pickeral, and Cattails provide height and shade. Marginals in general keep your
pond clean by stopping runoff from entering the pond, making one less mess for
you to clean. They also curb algal growth by voraciously absorbing the same
nutrients (nitrate and phosphate) that algae need to grow, making your pond that
much cleaner and ecologically sound.
Submerged
Grass/Oxygenators
Oxygenators
are submerged plants (typically grasses) that add oxygen to the pond water
during the day when the sun is out. Oxygenators provide safe havens for fish
and other small aquatic creatures to get away from predators like birds and
raccoons. These submerged grasses grow mostly below the pond’s surface and are
usually placed at the bottom of the pond either in a pot or planted directly
into the bottom soil of the pond. Submerged grasses aid in purifying the water
by absorbing impurities like carbon dioxide, phosphate and nitrate that cause
algae problems.
A
good rule of thumb is to cover anywhere from 40% to 60% of your pond’s surface
area with pond plants to limit algal photosynthesis. It is beneficial to have
more than a few of these different plants to bring beauty and balance to your
pond environment.