Floating Plants

Floating plants are ideal for new ponds because they remove CO2 directly from the air. They grow quickly and make few demands on water quality. Their value is mainly determined by their enormous growth capacity, even under conditions where oxygen plants fail. The group of floating plants is not that large, especially if we consider only the native hardy species. But even though they are small in species, they are a very useful and in some cases essential group of pond plants. For obtaining a natural balance and clear water, these plants are often indispensable.

The plants owe their buoyancy to the air-filled leaves, while the roots hanging in the water absorb the nutrients. Unlike the group of oxygen plants growing underwater, the floating plants do not rely on the CO2 present in the water for their growth.

Which floating plants?

Useful hardy floating plants include chickweed (Hydrocharis Morsus-ranae). Duckweed (Lemna valdiviana), pointweed (Lemna trisulca) and azolla floating fern or small duckweed fern (Azolla Caroliniana) Are usually not desirable due to their suffocating nature. Non-hardy species include mussel plant or water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) and raft fern (Salvinia natans). You can use them well in the months of May through September, These subtropical floating plants can possibly overwinter in an aquarium. Tropical floating plants such as waternut and water hyacinth can serve as ornamental plants, but have no biological use in our climate.

Placing floating plants

When the outside temperature is above 15°C, floating plants are strong enough for the pond. At lower temperatures, you can let them overwinter in a frost-free environment. Therefore, floating plants are ideally suited for installation in new ponds.

You can buy these sensible floats at garden centers and pet and pond specialty stores.