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Aquatic Plants

Brighten your garden with colorful and low-maintenance perennials!

Adding life, color and interest to the water gardens or ponds, aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments (saltwater or freshwater). They like to grow permanently in water, and many are quite specific about the depth of water they need. Aquatic plants can be emergent (grow in water but pierces the surface), submerged (grow entirely under the water), or floating (sit on the water surface with no need of pot or soil). Some enjoy a lot of space, others are more compact, and they usually like plenty of sun. Many are bold and beautiful and help create outstanding water gardens.

Aquatic Plants Guides


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Acorus calamus 'Variegatus' (Variegated Sweet Flag)

Ideal for wet areas, Acorus calamus 'Variegatus' (Variegated Sweet Flag) is an attractive herbaceous perennial forming a tuft of gracefully arching, narrow, sword-shaped leaves adorned with creamy-white and green stripes. Often displaying a nice pink tinge in cold weather, the foliage is sweetly fragrant when bruised.

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Acorus calamus (Sweet Flag)

Ideal for wet areas, Acorus calamus (Sweet Flag) is a spreading, marginal aquatic perennial forming a tuft of erect, sword-shaped, bright green leaves adorned with one slightly wavy edge and a prominent midrib. In late spring, this plant bears inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers in finger-like inflorescences, 2-4 in. long (5-10 cm), which give way to tiny, reddish berries. Both the crushed foliage and rootstocks have a pleasant aromatic fragrance. A great choice for naturalizing, Sweet Flag is quite versatile in the garden and makes a decorative foliage accent in water gardens and around ponds.

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Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' (Golden Variegated Sweet Flag)

Ideal for wet areas, Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' (Golden Variegated Sweet Flag) is a semi-evergreen herbaceous perennial forming an attractive tuft of gracefully arching, narrow, sword-shaped, golden-yellow leaves adorned with olive green stripes. The foliage is sweetly fragrant when bruised and evergreen in mild winter areas.

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Aeschynomene fluitans (Botswana Wonder)

Aeschynomene fluitans (Botswana Wonder) is an aquatic perennial forming a dense, floating mat of hollow to spongy stems that spread rapidly over the water surface. The stems are clothed with pinnately compound, blue-green leaves that close up when slightly touched. The leaves have small oblong leaflets, 16-26 pairs per pinna, arranged in opposite pairs. Dainty, yellow flowers, resembling sweet-peas, appear over the foliage from summer to fall.

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Alisma plantago-aquatica (European Water Plantain)

Alisma plantago-aquatica (European Water Plantain) is a robust aquatic perennial forming rosettes of long-stalked, lance-shaped, gray-green leaves to 12 in. in length (30 cm), often splashed with purple. In late spring and throughout the summer, very fragrant, forked, white to very pale pink flowers with rounded tips and smooth or jagged edges, are borne in tall panicles. There are arranged in whorls that form large conical-shaped clouds of white or pink. The long-lasting flowers provide a focal point that gives the pond depth and interest.

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Aponogeton distachyos (Water Hawthorn)

Aponogeton distachyos (Water Hawthorn) is an aquatic perennial with long, oval-shaped, often mottled, green and red leaves, 3-6 in. long (7-15 cm) and small white flowers held just above the surface. The deciduous or partially evergreen leaves float on the surface of the water from a petiole up to 40 in. long (100 cm) arising from tubers growing at the bottom of water bodies. Profuse vanilla-scented, forked inflorescences bearing tiny white flowers with brown anthers bloom from fall to spring

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Azolla caroliniana (Carolina Mosquito Fern)

Azolla caroliniana (Carolina Mosquito Fern) is a tiny floating fern forming a mat of prostrate and freely branched stems covered with bilobed scale-like leaves arranged in two rows. The upper leaf floats on the surface and the lower leaf is submerged. The pale green to blue-green foliage turns bright red in response to stress such as very bright light or very high or low temperatures. Small feather-like roots are produced along the lower surface of the stem and hang freely in the water.

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Azolla filiculoides (Mosquito Fern)

Azolla filiculoides (Mosquito Fern) is a tiny free-floating fern forming a mat of pinnately branched stems covered with minute, two-lobed leaves arranged in two rows. The upper leaf floats on the surface and the lower leaf is submerged. The bright green foliage turns purplish-rose in response to stress such as very bright light or very high or low temperatures. Small feather-like roots are produced along the lower surface of the stem and hang freely in the water.

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Bacopa caroliniana (Lemon Bacopa)

Bacopa caroliniana (Lemon Bacopa) is a creeping or floating perennial wildflower with thick succulent leaves that are heavily lemon-scented when crushed. Blooming from late spring through fall, this aquatic plant boasts a profusion of small bright blue flowers, less than 1 in. (2.5), that attract a variety of small pollinators. Native to the southeastern U.S.A. and Cuba, Lemon Bacopa occurs naturally on coastal shores, tidal muds, marshes, and disturbed wetlands. It can be grown above the surface of the water or fully submerged to help oxygenate the water.

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Brasenia schreberi (Watershield)

Brasenia schreberi (Watershield) is an aquatic perennial with floating, oval, bright green leaves, 4 in. long (10 cm), with reddish-purple undersides. Resembling miniature water lily leaves, they are borne on long petioles that are attached to the center of the leaf. They create a lovely backdrop for the purple to burgundy flowers, 1 in. across (2.5 cm), that arise above the floating leaves. Blooming in summer and early fall, the flowers have a two-day blooming period.

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Butomus umbellatus (Flowering Rush)

Butomus umbellatus (Flowering Rush) is a rush-like perennial with erect or floating, very long, grassy leaves, up to 3 ft. (90 cm) or more. In summer, large umbels of fragrant, rosy-pink flowers, 1 in. wide (2.5 cm), are borne on stiff stems. The delicate blossoms are pollinated by bees, flies, and lepidopterans. They are followed by beaked fruits which split at maturity to release the seeds.

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Cabomba caroliniana (Carolina Watershield)

Noted for its attractive flowers and finely dissected leaves, Cabomba caroliniana (Carolina Watershield) is a submerged aquatic perennial with stems that can reach 6 ft (180 cm). They bear bright green, fan-shaped, deeply dissected leaves up to 1.4 in. across (4 cm) when submerged. The small floating leaves, 0.8 in. (2 cm), are entire and linear with pointed tips. In summer, charming white flowers with yellow centers are produced on long fine stems at the water's surface.

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Calla palustris (Water Arum)

Very showy when in flower or bearing its fruit, Calla palustris (Water Arum) is a rhizomatous aquatic perennial boasting broadly heart-shaped, lustrous leaves, 6 in. long (15 cm), adorned with pointed tips. The glossy leaves are borne atop floating stems arising from shallow creeping rhizomes.

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Caltha palustris (Marsh Marigold)

Awakening the pond in spring, Caltha palustris (Marsh Marigold) is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial prized for its clusters of brilliant yellow flowers, up to 2 in. (5 cm), resembling buttercups.

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Caltha polypetala (Giant Marsh Marigold)

Resembling giant buttercups, Caltha polypetala (Giant Marsh Marigold) is a herbaceous perennial prized for its clusters of large, brilliant golden flowers, up to 2 in. (5 cm). They boast up to 40 showy stamens in their center.

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