There are four types of pond plants available for water gardens in North America. They are usually classified as floaters, submersed, oxygenating plants and bog plants. The condition of your water garden will greatly depend on how well your plants grown in your pond.
Floating Pond Plants
These are plants that are naturally found floating in nature and are widely used in water gardens. Some of the can multiply very fast and are therefore restricted in some regions of the United States. Also, there are varieties that will not survive the winter in colder regions as they are from warmer regions. Some of the best known floaters found in nurseries for sale are:
Frogbit
Water Hyacinth
Salvinia
Duckweed
Azolla
Sensitive Plant
Water Lettuce
Partially Submerged Aquatic Plant for Water Gardens
These are plants that have their roots in the water but most of their leaves are above the water surface (emersed). These plants naturally occur in shallow waters and complement plants in the water garden that are floating. Some of the most popular are:
Parrot Feather
Moneywort
Aquatic Canna
Oxygenating Aquatic Plants
Plants that stay submerged in ponds are usually considered oxygenating plants. These plants go through the photosynthesis process that helps oxygenate water in ponds while absorbing CO2. They help keep the water clean and are highly recommended for water gardens that have fish or other aquatic living organisms. The better known oxygenating aquatic plants are:
Anacharis
Hornwort
Vallisneria
Cabomba
Ludwigia
Bog Plants
These plants are also know as Marginal Plants within the trade. These are plants that are normally found at the edges of lakes in nature. They root in mud and they rise above shallow water.These plants are found along the edges or margins of ponds in nature. There are two types of bog plants, hardy and tropical. Hardy plants will survive cold winters and will thrive in the spring. Tropical bog plants will do well in warm temperatures but must be brought inside to avoid cold temperatures and they do not naturally grow in cold regions. These are the most popular bog plants available for sale in stores:
HARDY BOG PLANTS
Arrowhead
Cattails and reeds
Grasses
Hardy flowering
Hardy low growing
Iris
Hardy Bog Louisiana Iris
Hardy Bog Rushes
TROPICAL BOG PLANTS
Tropical Bog Cannas
Bog Palms and Papyrus
Taro or Elephant Ear
Bog Flowering
Tropical Bog Low Growing