Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just built an above-ground pond on my patio. It is 50 gallons and in an 8'x3' planter I built, but my patio has an extended roof and never receives direct light. I have a bunch of ferns in the planter, but does anyone know of any aquatic plants that enjoy no direct sunlight?

A reasonable definition of 'hardy' might be to specify it as those plants which one way or another have evolved to cope with freezing Winter conditions... By seed, tunneling roots, bulbs, corms that have evolved to cope reliably with prolonged dormancy due to freezing temperatures

It is fairly easy to adjust the depth of aquatic plants, using tubs or pots of appropriate depth, 10" could accomodate quite a range of deep or shallow growing varieties.

There are quite a few shade tolerant, shade loving plants suitable for ponds and water gardens, you may want to think twice about spatterdocks as they tend to be very large sprawly plants six feet wide. There are a couple of small forms of spatterdock (very nice plants) Cape Fear Spatterdock, and Nuphar Pumilla Minima, these are one of the few waterlily types that thrive in a lot of shade

In a hot Summer, hardy waterlilies can 'cope' and thrive surprisingly well, I've tried several of the prolific varieties with 'better' growing characteristics and seen them flower quite well in almost complete shade, they tend to put out bigger foliage and the blooms cope well in the worst heat of the day. A few tried include Indiana, Rose Arey, Pink Beauty, Splendida, Tomocik, Peaches and Cream, Joanne Pring....

Aquatic shade tolerant plants:
(prefer saturated soil conditions, water over their roots)...

Hardies: Alisma, Acorus calamus, Acorus calamus variegatus, Arrow arum, Arrowhead, Azolla, Bladderwort, Bog Arum- Calla palustris, Cotton grass, Cyperus longus, Eleocharis (spike rush), Equesetum hyemale, Frogbit, Golden club, Hornwort, Horsetail, Iris (shade may reduce their ability to flower some) Carex sedges, Lizards tail, Mares tail, Marsh marigold, Marsh pennywort, Marsilea, Nuphar pumilla minima, Parrots feather, Pennywort, Nymphiodes aquatica, Phalaris, Scirpus zebrinus, Typha (not the nasty latifolia, way too invasive) Water Hawthorn, Water Lettuce, Water Mint ....there are GAZILLIONS of shade loving aquatic and bog plants

Bog plants:
(Prefer moist but not saturated soil conditions)

Hardies: Acer, Aconitum, Alchemila, Alliums, Arum lilies, Aruncus, Arundinaria, Astilbe, Azalea, Berberis, Bergenia, Brunnera, Carex pendula, Chamaecyparis, Cimicifuga, Cinnamon fern, Creeping Jenny, Ferns (Many), Convallaria, Corylus, Cotton grass, Cornus, Cotula, Cyclamen, Danae, Dicentra, Epimedium, Euonymus, Filipendula, Fritillaria, Galium, Gentiana, Gunnera, Helleborus, Hemerocallis, Hemp agrimony, Hepatica, Heucherella, Hosta, Hydrangea, Ligularia, Liriope, Lisichiton, Lilium, Lonicera, Lupinus, Lychnis, Lythrum, Meconopsis, Mimulus, Miscanthus, Peltiphylum (Darmera) Phyllostachys, Polygonum, Primula, Ranunculus, Rhamnus, Rheum, Rhododendron, Rodgersia, Royal Fern, Rubus, Sasa veitchii, Saxifraga, Senecio, Sinarundinaria, Sium suave, Skullcap, Tellima, Viola, Weigela

Half hardy (need Wintering frost free): Cyperus Alternifolia, Cyperus Isocladus, Crinum Americanum, Gymnocoronum spilanthoides, Cyperus papyrus, Arum lilies (callas) Marselia, Taro, Salvinia, Umbrella grass

I list some full aquatics as well as bog plants. There are enough plants mentioned above to cram many a pool, bog, water margin... arrow arum alone likes to make an exotic foliage plant 3 foot high, and 3ft wide when it has conditions it likes... Many of them are 'specimen plants' ...in effect they are gobsmackers. Most of the plants listed here pop up on ebay now and then, so no need to be stuck with limited or pricey local sources, at all

Buying from 'cheap' sources is likely to be counter productive. You will likely end up with a titanic knot of invasive plants if you do not have the gumption to be selective at choosing plants which represent good long term value in terms of good growing characteristics and features. The cheap end of the market is pretty well loaded with more trouble than it's worth...

Ebay will probably present a better source and choice buying direct from the grower rather than the likes of Walmarts rather 'iffy' merchandise.

Regards, andy