Some Recommended Water Plants

We grew papyrus this year. It's tropical, so for us here in zone 5 it is an annual.
A very cool looking plant that every one who came into our yard this summer commented on. One friend described it as being some thing from a Dr. Seuss book. Supposedly gets up to 11 feet tall but since this summer was unseasonably cool, ours "only" got about 5 feet tall. We will be growing this one again next season

We grew it in a pot like a waterlily, in compost with a generous helping of osmocote.
The only trouble with that method was that after the papyrus grew to about 4 feet tall it became kinda "top heavy" and during a storm it was blown over. I then wedged it against the rocks on the side of the pond with a large rock on top of the edge of the pot to anchor it. Worked like a charm for the rest of the season.
Another one I like is the umbrella palm, grown the same way as above but it only got about 3 feet tall. If I remember right papyrus was used to build the "Kon-tiki" (sp?)
the boat that Thor Heyerdahl (?) built to sail across the ocean to prove that it was possible for early ocean travel

I was mistaken on the boat being made from papyrus....It was mostly made of balsa wood and in 1947 Heyerdahl sailed from South America to Polynesia to prove that it could have been done by natives in the ??pre-columbian ??? era thus colonizing easter island

Deep-water plants

Hardy water lilies:
(Nymphaea spp.):
Numerous cultivars w/ striking, slightly fragrant star shaped flowers in a range of colors. Leaves float on surface of water, flowers on or just above.
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Tropical water lilies
(Nymphaea spp.)
Numerous cultivars producing larger flowers in greater quantities than the hardy water lilies. Flowers are intensely fragrant. Look for night-blooming as well as day-blooming varieties. Night bloomers are particularly fragrant.
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Nuphar
(Nuphar spp.)
Grown for their large (up to 2ft across) floating leaves.
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Shallow-water-plants
Arrowhead (Sagittaria spp.)
Named for distinctive shape of leaves, which rise several feet above water. Smallish flowers borne on spikes in mid to late summer. S.sinensis contributes oxygen to water; sword-shaped leaves grow 3ft tall.
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Cardinal flower
(Lobelia cardinalis)
Spikes of lovely red flowers rise 3 - 4ft above water in late summer.
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Cattail
(Typha spp.)
A favorite of children, featuring long grassy leaves and familiar cigar shaped catkins. Look for smaller T. laxmanii for smaller ponds.
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Iris
(Iris spp.)
Beautiful flowering plants. Japanese, Siberian, and Louisiana irises will grow w/ "wet feet." I. laevigata 'Variegata' is grown for its striped leaves.
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Lotus
(Nelumbo spp.)
Large, beautiful flowers and handsome leaves up to 2ft across rise above surface of water to heights of 5ft. Equally attractive seedpods. Heat lovers, they bloom in late summer. Need large pots and lots of feeding.
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Pickerel rush
(Pontederia cordata)
Lance shaped leaves on 2ft stalks joined in late summer by spikes of star-like blue flowers that last a long time. Start plants shallow; increase depth gradually.
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Japanese primrose
(Primula japonica)
Tall stalks bear flowers in a whorled candelabra.
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Sweet flag
(Acorus spp.)
Grown for grassy, iris-like foliage. There are striped (variegated) types as well as smaller varieties.
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Marsh marigold
(Caltha palustris)
Cheerful buttercup flowers and bright green foliage in spring or early summer. Plant dies back and goes dormant about a month after flowering.
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Watercress
(Nasturtium officinale)
Prolific plants grow free-floating in gently moving water. Buy seeds or plants from herb specialists.
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Free-floating plants

Anacharis
(Elodea canadensis)
Excellent hardy oxygenating plant; grows submerged.
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Water fern
(Ceratopteris thalictroides)
Edible leaves rise 1ft above water. Not hardy.
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Water lettuce
(Pistia stratiotes)
Little lettuces look like a floating salad display.
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Water milfoil
(Myriophyllum aquaticum)
An oxygenator with feathery leaves that are bright yellow-green, tipped red in autumn, and rise several inches out of water.[/quote]

if I may, I'd like to correct some of your list.

The water fern that you listed, Ceratopteris thalictroides, is the Oriental water fern. The plant more commonly known as water fern is Salvinia minima. Another plant, sometimes referred to as water fern is Azolla.

Anacharis is not free floating, it actually has anchor roots but the roots are not used for feeding.

You also left out one family of plants that are easy to raise, Nymphoides. That will contain floating hearts and banana lilies.

I'm not correcting like some do on AP but more like expanding on what you have already mentioned. I hope that you are not offended.[/size]

Yes, I'll work on it. When I tweaked the membership I just clicked on everyone who hadn't posted in over 30 days. Let me see if it saved your information, sorry Pondman.

Nope, it is gone.Cool Chools reactivated her account, I'm afrais he will have to do the same, sorry again Pondman.