How2Day: Native Oxygenating Pond Plants

Plants are important to your pond because they restore oxygen to the water and act as a food source for other organisms. However, some aquatic plants easily become invasive, behaving similarly in your pond as weeds in your garden, reproducing rapidly and choking out desirable plants. When choosing plants for your pond, choosing native species provides a reasonable assurance that the plant can live in balance with other organisms in the pond.

The water lobelia (Lobelia dortmanna) grows completely submerged in the water, where it can restore oxygen to the water as its foliage carries out photosynthesis, until the emergence of its flower stalk, which protrudes above the water. Delicate white, bell-shaped flowers bloom in late summer, especially along the sandy edges of ponds, where the water lobelia prefers to grow. The water lobelia grows natively in the northeast and northwest United States and throughout Canada.

Bladderworts (Utricularia species) are native throughout North America, according to the Native Plant Information Network. Bladderworts float freely through the water without roots to hold them in place. Only the flower -- usually bright yellow in color -- emerges from the water. The bladderwort's behavior sets it apart from other aquatic plants. In addition to leaves, all plants have small air-filled bladders on their stems. A tiny trigger hair causes the bladder to open quickly and suck in water, carrying tiny organisms along with it. The bladderwort then digests the prey, extracting nutrients that most plants would acquire while rooted to the soil.

Watermilfoils (Myriophyllum species) tend to get a bad rap among aquatic plants because of the destructive and annoying invasive Eurasian watermilfoil. Several native watermilfoils occur in North America, however, and their submersed foliage provides shelter for small aquatic organisms and fish and serves as a food source for waterfowl. Because it is difficult to detect the difference between watermilfoils, both the Washington State University Extension and Native Plant Information Network advise against introducing them into ponds, because the non-native invasive species can quickly overtake a pond.

Elodea (Elodea canadensis), also known as American waterweed, is an oxygen source for ponds, according to the Native Plant Information Network. Elodea can either attach to the bottom of the pond or float freely, and it serves as a food source for ducks and beaver, as well as a habitat for various insect species. It also removes pollutants from the water where it grows. Although elodea doesn't tend to become a nuisance, NPIN cautions not to plant it in ponds with highly fertile soil.

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