Koi Pond Plants
- Koi ponds are ideal places to grow aquatic plants.Reggie Casagrande/Photodisc/Getty Images
Koi ponds can be beautiful additions to a yard or garden. Koi fish can grow quite large so it is important to have a big pond. It is also important to include the right pond plants. There are numerous varieties of aquatic plants that live in or on the edge of water and are ideal for ponds. Some plants, such as water lily, add beauty while others, such as water hyacinth, become snack food for the fish. Other good koi pond plants include water lettuce and parrot feather. - Water hyacinth is a perennial floating plant with round and oval shiny leaves. It can grow up to 3 feet high and produces large lavender flowers. Its fruit is a small capsule that forms in withered flowers after they are submerged. Water hyacinth is known scientifically as Eichhornia crassipes. It can be a nuisance and hard to control because it can produce tons of plant matter that causes jams in lakes and rivers. Water hyacinth is a better match for koi ponds where it will be nibbled on by koi.
- Water lettuce is a perennial plant known scientifically as Pistia stratiotes and is found naturally in lakes and rivers. It is a floating plant that looks like a big head of lettuce. Leaves are thick, soft and hairy and in larger bodies of water these plants group together to create large formations that block waterways. Water lettuce produces a green berry fruit and flowers that are usually hidden among the leaves. This plant is well-suited for ponds where it is easier to contain.
- Parrot feather plants, known scientifically as Myriophyllum aquaticum, are found naturally in ponds, canals and lakes. The plant has bright bluish-green leaves that are oblong and have a feathery appearance. Parrot feather's stem can grow up to a foot high above water and can look similar to a fir tree. Its leaves can be both above and below water. Parrot feather plants produce very small white flowers.
- Water lilies come in about 40 species, hybrids and varieties. Also known scientifically as Nymphaea odorata, water lily is a plant commonly seen in ponds, streams and lakes. It has very large, round floating leaves and large fragrant flowers with numerous petals. Water lilies grow slowly but over time these plants can grow in thick patches that block areas of lakes and streams and make it difficult to fish or swim. Water lilies are popular in ponds because of their beauty. Their growth is easier to control in ponds.
