Shade aquatics
GardenMaid
newsletter:
AQUATIC PLANTS FOR SHADY LOCATIONS
If we want a pond for keeping ornamental fish or for
having the sound of running water then a water garden
in the shade is fine, however if one of our major
reasons for having a pond is to be able to grow all of
those glorious water lilies then you want as much sun
as possible. Sometimes we have no choice but to place
our ponds in areas of little or no sunshine.
Most aquatic plants require at least 4 - 6 hours of
direct sun to flourish, there are however, several
varieties of waterlily, marginal, and floating plants
that will do well in partial shade ( 3 - 4 hours of
direct sun ).
( * - denotes good performers in filtered or fewer than
3 hours direct sun )
HARDY WATERLILIES
Comanche - This free flowering lily has a long blooming
season, it’s flowers open yellow and turn to a coppery
bronze.
Indiana - The flowers of this small lily open apricot
colored then change to an orange-red.
Attraction - This red lily is a very good bloomer. It
is the largest of hardy red waterlilies.
Gloriosa - This is a smaller red lily. It’s flowers
darken with age.
James Brydon - The flowers of this medium sized lily
are a deep red. It’s pads are bronze-like in color.
Texas Dawn - This yellow lily has leaves that are
speckled with a reddish-brown color.
Virginia - This medium-large lily contains star-shaped
white flowers.
TROPICAL WATERLILIES
Panama Pacific - This viviparous lily has violet-purple
flowers.
Tina - The purple flowers of this lily have a sweet
fragrance. It is a very free bloomer.
August Koch - The blue flowers of this lily are cuplike
with a nice fragrance.
Director Moore - The star-shaped flowers of this
variety are a deep purple. The small pads are
speckled with purple.
Shirley Bryne - The flowers of this viviparous lily are
a deep pink color.
Hillary - This viviparous lily has pale lavender
flowers.
MARGINALS
Acorus calamus variegatus( Variegated Sweet Flag ) -
This plant has iris-like foliage with white and green
stripes. It grows to 36" and is hardy zones 4-11.
Aponogeton distachyus( Water Hawthorne ) - This
waterlily-like plant has elliptical leaves and white
flowers. It flowers in spring and fall and goes
dormant in the summer. It is hardy zones 5-11
Caltha palustris( Marsh Marigold ) - This plant’s
yellow flowers are one of the first to appear in
spring. It is hardy zones 4-7.
*Colocasia antiquorum( Imperial Taro ) - These heart
shaped taro leaves are purple and green. It grows to
3’. It is hardy zones 9-11.
*Colocasia alocasia plumbae( Plumbae Taro ) - This taro
has large bold leaves. It grows up to 4’ and is hardy
zones 9-11.
*Colocasia esculenta( Black Magic Taro ) - This taro’s
foliage is very dark and can grow up to 6’. It is
hardy zones 9-11.
Equisetum hyemale( Horsetail Rush ) - This plant has
green and black shoots resembling bamboo. It grows to
30" and is hardy zones 4-11.
Houttuynia cordata variegata( Chameleon Plant ) - This
small plant grows to 10" with multi-colored foliage. It
is hardy zones 4-11
Hydrocotyle vericillata( Water Pennywort ) - This
spreading plant’s small umbrella shaped leaves grow up
to 10". It is hardy zones 6-11.
Ipomea batatas( Aquatic Morning Glory ) - This plant’s
white flowers appear in summer. It grows to 6" and is
hardy zones 9-11.
Iris Louisiana - These iris are available in black,
red, white, and blue. The spring bloomers are hardy in
zones 5-10 and grow to 24".
Iris pseudacorus( Yellow Flag ) - This yellow flowering
iris grows to 48" and is hardy zones 4-9.
Iris kaempferi variegata( Japanese Variegated Iris ) -
This purple flowering iris has green and white
variegated foliage. It grows up to 3’ and is hardy
zones 4-9.
Juncus effusus spiralis( Corkscrew Rush ) - This plant
has coiled foliage that grows to 24". It is hardy
zones 4-9.
Limnocharis flava( Velvet Leaf ) - This plant’s velvet
like leaves grow to 18" and produce yellowish flowers
resembling a rose. It is hardy zones 9-11.
Lobelia fulgens( Cardinal Flower ) - This plant’s
bright red flowers appear in Summer. It grows to 36"
and is hardy zones 5-11.
Marsilea Mutica( 4-Leaf Clover ) - This running plant
has 4-leaf clover leaves that float on the water
surface. It is hardy zones 5-11.
Mentha aquatica( Aquatic Mint ) - This plant grows up
to 12" and is hardy zones 5-11.
Myriophyllum aquatica( Parrot’s Feather ) - This
feather-like plant floats over the water. It is hardy
zones 6-11.
Neptunia aquatica( Sensitive Plant ) - This plant’s
Mimosa-like leaves close at the touch. It’s yellow
flowers appear in summer. It grows to 6" and is hardy
zones 9-11.
Orontium aquaticum( Golden Club ) - This plant grows up
to 10" and is hardy zones 5-11. It has velvety
foliage. It’s yellow spikes appear in Spring.
*Peltandra virginica( Arrow Arum ) - This plant grows
to 24" and is hardy zones 5-9. It’s foliage resembles
that of an arrowhead.
*Pontederia cordota( Pickerel Rush ) - This plant has
heart shaped foliage. It’s spikes of blue or white
flowers appear in Summer. It is hardy zones 5-11.
Saururus cernuus( Lizard’s Tail ) - This plant grows to
36". It’s white flowers appear in Spring & last
through summer. It is hardy zones 4-11.
Sagittaria graminea ‘Crushed Ice’ (Crushed Ice)- This
plant will grow to 24", it flowers in Spring but has
beautiful very light green and dark green foliage. It
is hardy in zones 4-11.
FLOATING PLANTS
Azolla caroliniana( Fairy Moss ) - This is a small free
floater with green and red foliage. It is hardy zones
9-11.
Lemna minor( Duckweed ) - This free floater has tiny
green leaves and is hardy zones 3-11.
Limnobium spongia( Frogbit ) - This floater has small
round leaves and is hardy zones 9-11.
Pistia stratioites( Water Lettuce ) - The leaves of
this floater resemble lettuce leaves. It is hardy
zones 9-11.
Some water lilies will still produce leaves in fewer
than 3 hours of direct sun. You may choose a variety
with mottled leaves for a decorative effect, and lily
pads will provide surface coverage for algae control
and a place for your fish to hide from predators.
You can plant a bog garden around your pond. Try
taro, iris, arrow arum, aquatic mint, pickerel,
creeping jenny, and lizard’s tail. All of these plants
can also be kept in pots inside your pond as well.
You can find all these plants in the online catalog
http://www.watergarden.com/shop/
Toni in Michigan
See my pond at http://members.aol.com/gardenmaid/mypond.jpg