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Floating plants are probably the easiest plants
to care for as they need no potting, but just drift along the surface with
their roots drawing nutrients from the water for their growth. Some of
them, like the hyacinths and lettuce provide long roots that are ideal
spawning material for the fish. Others blanket the water, keeping the
water from turning green from algae.
As they do
take nutrients from the water, and some are "heavy feeders", it is important
to keep these under control---they can easily take over a pond. Plants
like Fairy Moss, Duckweed, and Water Velvet are quickly eaten by the fish.
Too much of these plants can cause oxygen depletion. If there are
blooming marginal plants and water lilies with the floating plants, you need
to make sure those plants are fertilized!
| Item No. |
Double click
to enlarge photos |
Name (alphabetical by botanical
name) Description |
Price@ |
|
FP -AZOLC |
 |
Fairy Moss
(Azolla caroliniana)
Fairy Moss is a tiny fern with
fronds measuring about one-half inch across. It forms dense mats of pale
green leaves which turn red in summer. Another good surface cover plant.
Sun |
$3.95/portion |
|
FP - EICHC |
 |
Water Hyacinths (Eichornia
crassipes)
Water Hyacinths have dark green shiny
leaves with swollen stems. Flowers are showy, upright violet-blue spikes that
stand 4 to 9 inches high in thick foliage. Their fine feathery roots provide
excellent spawning environment for fish. Water hyacinths prefer sunlight, but
watch out - they multiply rapidly. These plants are tropical and need water
temperatures above 70°F or they will die. THESE PLANTS ARE A NOXIOUS
WEED! WE DO NOT ADVISE ANYONE TO PUT THEM IN THEIR POND. MOST
PLANTS ARE LOADED WITH HERBICIDES AS, IN THE WILD THEY ARE BEING SPRAYED
TO ERADICATE THEM. THEY ARE NOT ONLY CLOGGING WATERWAYS BUT THEY SUCK ALL
THE NUTRIENTS OUT OF THE WATER, KILLING NATIVE AQUATIC PLANTS. Sun |
$3.95
3 for $9.95 |
|
FP - LEMNM |
 |
Duckweed
(Lemna minor)
Duckweed has very small bright green
individual leaves with the root below forming a blanket covering the
surface in areas where water is stagnant. It makes good fish food and provides
shade for the pond.
Sun/Part Shade
|
$3.95/portion |
|
FP - LIMNL |
 |
American Frog-bit
(Limnobium
lavigatum)
American Frog-bit has thick swollen
leaves, one-half to three-quarters of an inch in diameter, containing spongy
tissue for buoyancy. Its leaf blades are heart-shaped.
Sun/Part Shade
|
$3.95 |
|
FP - PISTS |
 |
Water Lettuce
(Pistia
stratiotes)
Water Lettuce produces crowds of leafy
rosettes rather like loose, 4-inch heads of lettuce. Trailing hairy roots
hang down several inches. New rosettes develop around the base of each plant.
These are warm water plants and need water temperatures of 70°
to survive and spread. Sun/Part Shade |
$3.95
3 for $9.95
|
|
FP - SALVS |
 |
Water Velvet
(Salvinia minima)
Floating Fern has tiny oval leaves
about one-half inch in size. They are pale green in color, have bristly hairs
and grow in tight clusters for surface cover.
Sun/Part Shade
|
$3.95 |
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