What about these two? Does anybody have either in their pond, if so how do you like it?

The one with the purple flower I only see in creek bottoms/ditches that have open sunlight and only in the water.

The grass I see around lots of ponds in this area, I don't know how well it will grow in the lower area in the summer that will be submerged in the winter? I am guessing the water table will fluctuate around 2 feet or so. The picture was off the side of the road in a relatively dry ditch.

Pickerel weed is commonly added pond plant. Don't know what the grass-like plant is.

Thank you RAH for identifying the Pickerel Weed. I have researched it a lot over the weekend and it sounds like exactly the plant I am looking for. I plan on transplanting some into the pond today, I am however concerned that some other plant may hitchhike in with this method.

I did find it for sale online for around $6-8 per plant. But I wonder how well it will do shipped bareroot this time of year?

I don't know what to do, I spoke with the GA DNR Hatchery today and the guy gave me a lot of good info but said I didn't need to have any aquatic plants, that the wood and concrete would provide enough cover and that I just needed grass on the banks.

That is an odd DNR opinion. Perhaps you should contact Fish and Wildlife for a second opinion. My DNR rep helped me buy plants for my pond and wetlands through the Partners program.

See page 13

http://www.georgiawildlife.com/sites/def..._2015Update.pdf

Good idea RAH, I will try Fish and Game just to see what they say.

I have learned to question illogical recommendations.

If you have enough in the pond, that is the correct answer. You do not "need" plants in the pond. Notice I didn't say "want".

If wanting plants for cover habitat for the fish you can duplicate that with artificial cover. The pros for that is that it stays in that same place 24/7/365 and it doesn't spread. The con is that it isn't natural.

Plants grow and die. They spread to areas that you might not want them to spread to. If you want plants in a specific area, and don't mind controlling them when they stray, then plants are great.