Submerged O/2 Reefs for Backyard water gardens
Water plants are a must when you have a pond. As well as looking beautiful, they will help your pond to blend in with the rest of the garden. They also provide breeding places for water wildlife, such as dragonflies and fish. By shading the water they help to control the temperature. Their roots absorb nutrients that might otherwise foul the water, and submerged oxygenating plants are the ponds very own air conditioners.
Types of water plant
Submerged aquatics live completely under water. They are the oxygenating plants you often see releasing streams of air bubbles in sunlight. Some types are more efficient oxygenators than others. Like the Ceratophyllum demersum, Hygrophila difformis(Wisteria), Sagittaria subulata and Vallisneria spiralis.
Deep-water aquatics have their roots in water that is 45cm (18in) or more in depth. Their leaves stand out above the water or float on the surface. Like water lilies tropical, hardy water lilies and night blooming water lilies, Lily like.
Marginal plants grow in the shallow water around the edge of a pond in planting baskets standing submerged in water. Some of these are the Shallow Water-Aztec Arrowhead, Nelumbo (Pink Crane) Potted Lotus, Dwarf Umbrella Palm, Royal Pickerel, and the Water Plantain, Island Carnivorous Bog Plants.
Free-floating plants drift about on the surface of the pond with their roots dangling in the water. Like the Water Hyacinth, Azolla caroliniana (Fairy Moss), and the Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (Frog's Bit).
