The Top 3 Floating Plants to Avoid
Incorporating floating aquatic plants into your koi pond creates lush greenery and excellent filtration. But remember this harmonious aquatic environment can also become a lot of work if you accidentally add the wrong plants! So here are the top 3 floating plants to avoid.
There are plants that are pretty, that may be pretty in an aquarium, but can be sheer hell in a pond! I have seen floating pond plants listed by some writers that make me want to jump up and scream ” No! Don’t do it! You’ll regret it!”
This is an enlarged photo of what some people call Fairy Moss or California Mosquito plant. It spreads very rapidly and can cover the water surface of the pond very quickly. If you have good water flow through the pond it can clog up the skimmer. It even turns a little red when the temperatures cool off but when this stuff is over grown, you'd wish you'd never seen it!
These small plants, called Duck Weed, are filling all the space between the water lilies. They start extremely tiny and may get a little larger than a nickel. Their roots hang down and they certainly contribute to water filtration. Just like Fairy Moss, each plant is individual and not connected. The problem is that they quickly can cover a pond! Just like the Fairy Moss above, they can clog a skimmer up. What's worse is that they can shade water lilies and other plants so much that it can inhibit their growth. If I see this plant, I net it out.
This one is Frog Bit. I have to say I like it better than Duck weed and Fairy Moss, but it will has the same affect as the plants above. It grows too fast and blocks out the light. Frog Bit leaves are connected by a tiny vine. It makes it somewhat easier to pull them out. I'd rather have large beautiful lily pads than Frog Bit. It might be a great plant to try in an aquarium.
This is a great photo of some ducks in Duck Weed! I thought maybe it was called that because they will eat it, and they will, but I've come to think the reason for the name is that this weed somehow shows up in ponds. Guess how! This stuff clings to the bottoms of ducks and is transported from one pond to another!
As you learn more and more about all types of Aquatic plants, make sure you embark on this journey with information. Read about various plant types before you put them in the pond.
The right aquatic plants can elevate the beauty of your pond to new heights!
Looking for more information on Water Hyacinth? Read about the Secret to Getting Water Hyacinths to Bloom.