What Plants Are Needed to Establish a North Carolina Pond?

• Waterlilies provide beauty, as well as food and shelter, to a pond environment. Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

  No single plant species is individually necessary to establish a pond in North Carolina. A healthy pond requires a variety of plant species to fill all three niche categories -- marginal, submerged and floating. Marginal plants grow along the shore or shallows, provide shelter for semi-aquatic organisms and prevent shoreline deterioration. Submerged plants oxygenate a large amount of water because they grow completely below the surface. Floating species thrive on top of the pond, they anchor to the pond's bottom or float freely in the water.

Parrot Feather

• Parrot feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum) originated from tropical environments, but grows extensively throughout much of the United States. It is extremely hardy and can reproduce asexually, which makes it a top-notch plant to help establish a North Carolina pond. Its myriad feathery leaves form dense, bushy foliage that young fish enjoy eating and sheltering in. Like other submerged plants, Parrot feather disperses significant quantities of oxygen to the pond's water.

Coon's Tail

• Coon's tail (Ceratophyllum demersum) also belongs to the submerged category of aquatic plants. This cool-water plant resembles parrot feather, but it has a more stringy leaf-stem structure. Coon's tail, also called rigid hornwort, grows in every U.S. state and most Canadian provinces. Like parrot feather, this plant is a valuable addition to a budding pond or aquarium habitat thanks to its oxygen production and dense structure.

Arrowhead

• Common arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia) is a shrublike marginal that grows in swamps, bogs and ponds. Its distinct leaves are broad and resemble the tip of an arrow or spear. Arrowhead provides shelter for organisms that live near the pond or around its edges. Some birds and animals consume its leaves or roots, and many hide from predators under its large leaves.

Waterlilies

• Dozens of species comprise the waterlily genus, Nymphaea. These plants float on the surface of a pond and produce distinct flat leaves often called lily pads. Most species produce large light-colored flowers that rest on the water during the spring and summer months. The yellow pond-lily (Nymphaea sagittifolia) is native to North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, which makes it a viable domestic alternative to the many foreign waterlily species in North Carolina. Lilies provide shade for fish and a safe place for insects to rest. They also prevent algae growth by absorbing nutrients directly from the water.

American Lotus

• Like other lotuses, the American lotus (Nelumbo lutea) is a close relative of the Nymphaea waterlilies. They float on the surface of shallow, slow-moving water in ponds and lakes. These plants thrust white and yellow flowers almost a foot above their floating leaves, making them easy to distinguish from lily plants. This species provides aesthetic value, as well as food and shelter, to an emerging pond environment.