article: Aquatic plants II

Aquatic plants II

Aquatic plants are a part of the balancing of your water garden, the balancing of the environment for clean and clear water when you are raising fish or when your water garden has only plants. Some types of aquatic plants will be placed in the water and will float, while other plants will be put into containers and spread out along the waters edge but somewhat submerged in the water. Other types of aquatic plants will sink and grow under water, rooting in the dirt and cleaning the water while living in the water.

We had talked early about some types of aquatic plants, and what you can choose from when stocking your water garden with plants. Here are a few more aquatic plants for your choosing.

Eleocharis acicularis is an aquatic plant that has small thin leaves. The small thin leaves on this plant look like grass but forming in a very dense, thick fashion. The stems of the plant are thread like and give the plant a very different look from other aquatic plants. This plant does not grow to be very tall, usually just over half a foot high. If you are growing this plant in a bog area instead of in the water, it will be smaller. This plant will grow in a clump like fashion and is slow to spread.

Fontinalis antipyretica is a moss like plant that is deep dark green. This plant is one that will grow in a stream or moving water; it does not thrive well in the water garden that does not include some type of moving water. Not many water gardeners are successful in growing this plant, but if you have some type of moving water in your garden, this plant is a lovely addition.

Hottonia palustris is also known as a water violet. The water violet has flowers that will bloom about a foot above the water. The flowers on this plant are white, to shades of purple. The water violet grows under the water, so you do not see much of the purple leaves on this plant until late spring when the water clears. This is an easy to grow aquatic plant that you can take a cutting from, put into your water garden, and watch is take hold and then to produce flowers. It is not a fast spreading plant, but a slow spreading plant.

Lemna is a duckweed that will take over your entire water garden is you allow it. Lemna is a fast growing plant, that is easy to grow but can deprive other plants living in the water garden and fish from getting as much sunlight as needed to thrive. If you have a small water garden, you are not going to want to introduce Lemna into your water garden. Lemna is a plant that should only be used in the water gardens that are considered huge.