What Plants Should You Never Put In Your Pond?

Aquatic Plants

When creating and maintaining a pond, it’s important to be aware of certain plants that can cause problems. Here are some plants you should generally avoid putting in your pond:

1. Invasive Species

  • Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes): Although it’s a popular choice for water gardens due to its attractive flowers, it can quickly take over your pond and block sunlight, which can harm other aquatic plants and animals.
  • Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes): Similar to water hyacinth, water lettuce can spread rapidly and choke out other plants, leading to oxygen depletion in the water.

2. Aggressive Growers

  • Cattails (Typha spp.): While cattails can be attractive, they are fast-growing and can dominate the space, making it difficult for other plants to thrive.
  • Duckweed (Lemna minor): This tiny floating plant can multiply rapidly, covering the pond’s surface and blocking sunlight from reaching submerged plants.

3. Toxic Plants

  • Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea): This plant is highly toxic to both humans and animals. If any part of it enters the water, it can contaminate the pond and pose a danger to wildlife.
  • Oleander (Nerium oleander): All parts of this plant are toxic, and even small amounts can be lethal to fish and other pond inhabitants.

4. Plants Requiring High Maintenance

  • Lotus (Nelumbo spp.): While beautiful, lotus plants require a lot of space and maintenance. They can also spread aggressively if not properly managed.
  • Water Lilies (Nymphaea spp.): While not inherently bad, water lilies can overgrow if not pruned regularly, leading to similar issues as invasive species.

5. Terrestrial Plants

  • Ivy (Hedera spp.): Ivy and other terrestrial plants are not suitable for ponds as they are not adapted to aquatic environments. Their roots can rot, leading to water quality issues.
  • Mint (Mentha spp.): Mint can be invasive and difficult to control in a pond environment. It can also disrupt the balance of the ecosystem.

By avoiding these plants, you can maintain a healthy and balanced pond ecosystem. If you’re unsure about a particular plant, it’s best to research its growth habits and potential impact on your pond before introducing it.

Aquatic Plants For Sale In Phoenix

For aquatic plants purchasing give us a call today at (623) 878-6695 or stop by our store and take a look at our wide selection of pond products. We can also install, service and maintain your fish pond.

5 Plants To Clean Pond Water

One way to maintain clear and healthy pond water is by adding some plants to the area. Bio-filters are great at keeping your water healthy, but they do not remove nitrates. Adding plants to the water is the safest way to remove any unwanted nitrates.

Best Pond Plants To Clean Water

Since plants feed on the same nutrients as algae, you will need to add more plants to your pond to lessen the algae’s food supply. Here are a few of the best plants you can purchase to clean your water:

Water Lettuce

There is no doubt that this floating plant can help purify your pond water. Green rosettes will float effortlessly across the water, while cleansing it, at the same time.

Taro

Taro roots feature a very large surface area, which helps to take the nutrients up from the water. This plant comes in many varieties. Oftentimes, homeowners will add Taro to their ponds for their showy leaves.

Canna

Canna also come in a wide range of varieties, adding some much-needed color to small ponds everywhere. Color is not the main reason so many people choose to add canna, though. These plants are terrific at removing nutrients, toxins and heavy metals from the water.

Water Iris

Water Iris is known to be one of the best aquatic plants to remove toxins. Additionally, Iris adds some color to your pond before most plants bloom in the spring.

Hornwort

Hornwort is an oxygenator that grows far beneath the surface. It helps to eliminate algae by taking up excess nutrients from the water, which starves the algae.

Phoenix Area Pond Supply

If you are looking for live fish, live plants, pond filtration, pumps, or anything else you need to start or care for your water garden or garden pond The Backyard Pond has everything you need. We serve residents of the greater Phoenix area with the best selection of Koi, plants, and all the supplies you need. Stop by or give us a call at 623-878-6695 with your questions.

Aquatic Plants

Aquatic Plants

Choosing the right plants for your pond in Arizona will make it more visually stunning and preserve the health of the pond. If you’re searching “Aquatic Plants” you’re either planning a new pond or considering about how to make your present pond better.

Aquatic Plants

Water plants are generally considered one of the best ways to enhance a water feature. Occasionally called aquatic plants, there are water plants for just about every type of water feature, from small table fountains to spacious backyard ponds. The type of aquatic plant that will best suit your water feature is will be decided by your requirements, as well as the developing features of each plant.

Tropical Night Blooming Lilies

The Antares Night Blooming Tropical Water Lily is an attractive rosy-red colored lily with 5 1/2″ – 7 1/2″ flowers. This free flowering lily has a bowl-like flower likeness and the leaves are darkish rust color. The Antares Night Blooming Tropical Water Lily opens right before nightfall and stays open until the morning hours.

Hard Water Lilies

A water garden is not complete without one or more of these elegant pond plants. The hardy water lily is available in an assortment of sizes and colors. The water lily plant, once they established in your backyard pond will reward you with a lot flowers all through the summer months. Hardy water lilies will bloom regularly May thru September.  They do great in winter and the water lily will comeback in the spring once again giving you a lovely backyard pond plant.

Tropical Water Lilies

Tropical water lilies make a stunning centerpiece in your backyard pond. Its flowers rise several inches out of the water and are more bountiful than hardy lilies. Flowers open mid-morning and will stay open until late the afternoon or early evening. Tropical water lilies can safely be placed outdoors when the water temperatures are a regular 65+ degrees. Tropical water lilies that are marked as Viviparous (producing seeds that grow on the plant itself) will endure through cooler water temperatures and bloom later into the autumn months.

Aquatic Bog Plants

Aquatic bog plants grow in shallow water or at the border of the pond. Marginal plants consist of pond plant variations that stand above the water while their feet constantly remain wet. All of the hardy bog pond plants are a perennial type and will come back every spring and bloom at various times all through the season. Hardy bog plants are valuable because they add height and proportion to the pond giving it a more natural look.

Water Iris

An additional favorite for pond owners is the water iris, as there are a lot of varieties to choose from. They supply a long sharp leaf, and depending on the species can produce various color flowers, from white, blue, to yellows. Commonly, these plants are placed in pots which are then submerged in the pond water. The majority of water iris will survive in limited or full sun, which is good for those that have some type of shade.

Lotus

Lotus plants are a hardy perennial pond plant and will give you colorful flowers year in, year out. Some water lotus species have leaves that can reach up to 2’ in circumference and massive flowers up to 12” in diameter. Some smaller and medium varieties can adapt to patio gardening also.

Aquatic Plants For Sale In Phoenix

For aquatic plants purchasing give us a call today at (623) 878-6695 or stop by our store and take a look at our wide selection of pond products. We can also install, service and maintain your fish pond.