Tropical Marginal water plants Used In Pond Margins
Marginal plants are those that are happy to live submerged in relatively shallow water. often also called bog plants. The ones described below are tender and should not be used in frost areas.
Tropical Marginals
| Name | Mature height in cm | Water depth over soil in cm | Flowering period | Description |
| Alocasias | 180 to 220 | 0 to 25 | winter | Large decorative light green leaves |
| Aquatic hybrids | 100 to 300 | 0 to 25 | winter | A striking aquatic canna with large olive-green leaves. |
| Umbrella grass | 40 to 60 | 0 to 5 | winter | So called because of the shape of its umbels of grassy spikelets. |
| Cyperus alternifolius. Egyptian paper-rush | 300 to 400 | 0 to 10 | spring | Has a mop like head of spikelets 3 to 4 high on triangular stems. It can be grown outside in summer but has to be over wintered in the warm. |
| Spider lily | 50 to 80 | 0 to 20 | winter | Forms bulbs with strap-like foliage and attractive, fragrant white flowers. |
| Nelumbo lutea | 50 to 100 | 5 to 40 | winter | Pale yellow flowers and foliage similar to N. nuciferia. |
| Nelumbo nucifera | 50 to 100 | 5 to 40 | winter | Has large round glaucous green, water-repellent leaves 50 to 100 cm above the water. The flowers up to 30 cm, they are deep pink on the outside fading to white at the petals. |
| Peltandra undulata. green arrow arum | 30 to 60 | 5 to 30 | winter | Firm strongly veined, bright green leaves, also arrow shaped. The green arum-shaped flowers are followed by green berries. |
| White arrow arum | 30 to 60 | 5 to 30 | winter | Very large dark green arrow-shaped leaves up to 20 cm wide. White arum type flowers followed by a cluster of red berries. |
| Thalia delbata | 100 to 200 | 0 to 40 | winter | Large glaucous leaves and small purplish flowers held high on long thin stems. |
| Xanthosoma nigrum. | 100 to 200 | 5 to 30 | winter | Origin: W. Indies. Xanthosoma grows to about 2 m with violet leaf stalks and violet margins to the leaves. |
| Zantedeschia aethiopica. arum lily | 50 to 100 | 0 to 25 | spring | Glossy arrow shaped leaves and large pure white fragrant arum flowers having a deep golden-yellow spathe. |
| Zantedeschia aethopica Green Goddess | 50 to 80 | 0 to 10 | winter | Dark green arrow shaped leaves. Unusual green and white flowers. |
| Zantedeschia elliottiana | 50 to 100 | 0 to 10 | winter | A deciduous species, bearing elongated heart shaped mid-green leaves with silvery, semi-transparent spots and golden yellow flowers. Needs frost protection in winter. |
Tropical Nymphaea Plants
Most tropical water plants can be grown outside during the summer months, but must be over wintered in warm conditions during the winter months.
Day Flowering tropical water plants
| Name | Depth of water in cm | Spread in sq m | Colour | Description |
| N. capensis var. zanzibariensis | 30 to 50 | 0.50 to 1.00 | blue | Sweetly scented bright blue flowers having centered stamens with blue tips standing well out of the water. Their varieties will bloom with profusion all summer with an occasional bloom throughout the winter. |
| N. capensis var.zanzibariensis | 30 to 50 | 0.50 to 1.00 | pink | Similar in all respects to the blue capensis but the flowers are pinkish-rose and have pink tipped yellow stamens. |
| N. Daubeniana | 20 to 50 | 0.40 to 0.60 | blue | Free flowering viviparis form with pale blue flowers 8 to 10 cm across, yellow centers and delicate aroma. Young plants are formed on the leaves. |
| N. Director G.T. Moore | 30 to 60 | 0.50 to 1.00 | blue | Mid-green leaves. Fragrant flowers of purple, with golden-yellow centre blue stamens. |
| N. mexicana | 40 to 80 | 0.60 to 1.00 | yellow | Bright yellow flowers standing 15 to 20 cm above the water. The green foliage is heavily blotched with purple. |
Night Flowering plants
Night blooming tropical lilies are ideal in conservatories where their beauty can be admired in the evenings.
| Name | Depth of water in cm | Spread in sq m | Colour | Description |
| N. Mrs. George C. Hitchcock | 40 to 80 | 0.80 to 1.00 | rose-pink | Night-blooming. Large rose-pink flowers with orange stamens, heavily mottled foliage with deep serrations. The blooms open in the early evening and remain open until 10 or 11 the following day. |
| N. Trudy Slocum | 40 to 80 | 0.80 to 1.00 | white | Very prolific night blooming white lily. Each bloom will open and close for several days. |
Garden Fish Pond Keeping Articles To Explore
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