Selecting the Right Plants

Floating Hearts: Two plants with heart-shaped leaves; water snowflake (N. indica) and water fringe (N. peltata). The first has 8-inch leaves and fringed white flowers with yellow centers, the second has 4-inch leaves and all-yellow lacy flowers. Planting depth: 6 inches.

Water Hawthorne: Four-inch oblong leaves. Spikes of tiny white flowers in winter or spring; fragrant. Takes some shade. Dormant in hot summers. Planting depth: 4 to 18 inches.

Water Hyacinths: Unlike familiar water hyacinth (E. crassipes) below, this one does not have inflated floating stalks. Flowers are purplish blue with a peacock eye in each center. Planting depth: 6 to 8 inches.

Water Lilies: Queens of the water garden. Summer-fall bloomers; waxy flowers in all shades of the rainbow. Hardy kinds will take coldest winters; tropicals are for mildest areas or summers only.

Duckweed: Rapid-spreading colonies of tiny bright green leaves. Fish feed on tender young roots. Watch this one-it can easily become a pest.

Water Fern: Floating clumps of plants with tiny waffled leaves that turn rusty scarlet in fall. May become a pest in warm areas.

Water Hyacinth: Inflated leaf stalks and erect leaves are pale green. Thick clusters of violet flowers with yellow centers on erect spikes. Confine it for best growth and to prevent weediness.

Water lettuce: Miniature (6 inches) velvety lettuces for sun or part shade. Long feathery roots.

Anacharis: Dark green ferny whorls. Grows vigorously. Plant at least a foot deep, or weight with lead anchors.

Cabomba: Glossy green, seemingly frayed fans on green or red stems. Easy.

Eel Grass: Long, flowing, ribbon like leaves. Hardy, but dormant in the winter Northwest.

Miniature Sagittaria: Dark green ribbon-shaped leaves about a foot long. Good in wide, shallow pot.

Parrot's Feather: Feathery yellow-green leaves rise somewhat above water at tips, take on red cast in fall.

Arrowheads: Large arrowhead-shaped leaves reach up to 3 feet. S. Yagittifolia 'Flore Pleno' bears spikes of white double flowers all summer. Hardy. Planting depth: 6 inches or more.

Azure Pickerel Weed: Three foot stalks with spear headed leaves. Summer flowers are azure to violet blue. Very hardy. Planting depth: 3 - 10 inches.

Cattails: Familiar rushes with long , flat, sword shaped leaves, brown "tails" (actually flower heads) borne on stout spikes. Hardy. Planting depth: 1 - 6 inches.

Cyperus: Includes papyrus, with giant pompom heads on 8 foot stalks, and umbrella plant with graceful canopies atop 4 foot canes. In the Northwest, take cyperus indoor during the winter.

Horsetail: Vigorous, spreading plants with crunchy 4-foot stalks that appear leafless. Grow in pots to contain aggressive habit. Many species and varieties of iris for the water garden, mostly sold by color. Some hardy. Planting depth: 0 to 4 inches.

Lotus: Huge shield shaped leaves stand above the water'; big bowl shaped flowers stand even higher. Planting depth: 2 - 12 inches.

Marsh-Marigold: Hardy clumping bog plant with heart-shaped leaves, golden buttercup-like flowers in midspring to early summer; 1 foot or more high. Planting depth: 0 to 1 inch.

Taro or Elephant's Ears: Tropical bog plants with huge leathery leaves, golden butter cup like flowers in midspring to early summer; 1 foot high or more. Planting depth: 0 to 1 inch.

Water Chestnut*: Rush like plant with edible tubers (see article on page 236). Planting depth: 2 inches

Water Poppy*: Creeping water plant with round, dark green leaves. Bright yellow "poppies" appear from early summer into fall. Good for tub gardens. Planting depth: 2 to 4 inches.