🌿 Floating Plants That Do the Heavy Lifting: Why Your Water Garden Needs Them
Whether you’re building a peaceful koi pond, refreshing your backyard ecosystem, or enhancing a bubbling urn with a few extra touches, floating and submerged plants are your water garden’s best-kept secret. These green workhorses aren’t just pretty—they play a critical role in keeping your pond balanced, clear, and teeming with life.
At Willow Ridge Garden Center, we love helping customers in East Tennessee build beautiful water features that practically take care of themselves. One of the simplest ways to get there? Add floating and submerged plants like water hyacinth, water lettuce, anacharis, cabomba, hornwort, and parrot’s feather.
🌊 The Top Benefits of Floating & Submerged Plants
- They Keep Your Water Clear
Plants like water hyacinth and hornwort absorb excess nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus—two of the biggest culprits behind murky, algae-filled ponds. By using up what algae would otherwise feed on, these plants help keep your water clean and clear.
- They Help Control Algae Naturally
Broad-leaved floaters like water lettuce act like floating umbrellas, shading the pond’s surface and blocking sunlight that algae needs to thrive. Less sun = less algae = less work for you.
- They Oxygenate Your Pond
Submerged plants like anacharis, cabomba, and hornwort release oxygen during the day, helping to support fish health and maintain the overall balance of your pond. A healthy oxygen level also keeps your beneficial bacteria happy—and they’re key players in breaking down waste.
- They Create Shelter and Breeding Spaces
Floating plants offer shady, safe hiding spots for koi, goldfish, tadpoles, and other aquatic critters. Dense root systems give baby fish a place to hide from predators and add variety to your pond’s ecosystem.
- They Improve Water Quality
Some submerged plants like cabomba and hornwort go the extra mile by absorbing trace metals and toxins, making them excellent natural biofilters. Your fish and frogs will thank you.
- They Add Texture and Movement
Parrot’s feather adds a soft, trailing look to edges and streams, while water hyacinths bob gently on the surface. These plants bring a natural, wild beauty to your pond or water feature.
🌱 Plant Spotlight: East Tennessee Favorites
| Plant Name | Type | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Water Hyacinth | Floater | Nutrient absorption, surface shade |
| Water Lettuce | Floater | Root filtration, shade, fast spreader |
| Anacharis | Submerged | Oxygenates, absorbs nutrients |
| Cabomba | Submerged | Delicate foliage, clarity support |
| Hornwort | Submerged | Low-maintenance, algae suppressant |
| Parrot’s Feather | Marginal/floater | Adds texture, filters runoff, wildlife cover |
These varieties thrive in East Tennessee’s USDA Zone 7a–7b climate and are especially well-suited to the types of ponds and fountains we build here at Willow Ridge.
🧠 Pro Tip: Find the Right Balance
Covering about 40–60% of the pond’s surface with floating plants during summer creates the perfect balance between sunlight, shade, and oxygen exchange.
Too few floating plants, and you risk excessive sunlight reaching the water—leading to algae blooms, warmer water temperatures, and a lack of cover for your fish. This can create an imbalance that encourages green water and makes it harder for beneficial bacteria to do their job.
Too many floating plants, and you might block too much light from reaching submerged plants and oxygen from diffusing into the water—especially at night when plants consume oxygen. This can stress your fish and disrupt the entire pond ecosystem.
Aim for a good mix of floaters and submerged varieties, and check in regularly as plants grow. A quick weekly glance can help you maintain just the right amount of coverage.
🛠️ Low Maintenance, High Reward
The best part? Most floating plants are easy to grow and even easier to manage. If they multiply too quickly, just scoop a few out. Compost them or give them to a pond-loving friend. They’ll come back year after year with minimal upkeep.
🌸 Add Life to Your Pond—Naturally
If your water garden needs a little help this season—or if you’re starting fresh—floating and submerged plants are a game-changer. Stop by Willow Ridge Garden Center to see what’s in stock. Our pond team can help you choose the right mix of plants for your setup, whether it’s a bubbling urn or a full-scale ecosystem pond.
📍 Visit us in Oak Ridge, TN
📞 Call us at 865-481-3825
👉 Ready to level up your pond?
Come by this week and ask about our top aquatic plant picks for summer. You’ll be amazed what a few floaters can do.