Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Balance of plants in the environment Pickerelweed

I've searched the site and found a few references, but no opinions on how invasive this plant is. I'm thinking of planting some in low areas around the edge of 2 1/2 acre pond. Will I regret it?

Take a look at this TAMU link including the "management options" section.

http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/database/emergent_plants/pickerelweed.htm

TAMU's comment: "Pickerelweed can be cut and the rhizomes can be dug up but physical control is difficult because it can reestablish from seeds and remaining rhizomes." I guess if physical control is difficult, no matter how slowly it reproduces it eventually will be a problem. Thanks Ewest.

i am not sure you would give up yet. it has many benefits. if not pickerelweed then it will be something else but pickerelweed is pretty good.

do you have sedges?

I bought my house with pond last year. The previous owner had it manicured to the point of no weeds in or around the pond. (He used massive amount of copper sulfate each month.) So much so that it is more like a swimming pool than a fishing pond. I now need to get it "back to nature." Vertex aeration system will be installed next week, sputnik habitat spheres are almost finished and no more fertilizer will be going on the part of watershed that had been in field crops. Now I need some plant life. Everything I know about ponds I've learned from Pond Boss magazine & books, and this forum!! I'll search for sedges discussions now. Thanks.

Take a look at the TAMU site and look for some good non-invasive plants. Many will work and are not to hard to control.

http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/

Do a search here as there are many good posts on plants. Bill has lots of good info on lilies , CB1 has some good dwarf rushes IIRC. Plenty of good options.

Schroeder,
In our neck of the ponds, Pickerel Weed (Pontederia cordata) is our number 1 species we recommend pond owners to establish in their ponds.

After 9 years of planting them, I have yet to hear of one client unhappy with their invasiveness. They don�t appear on their own in ponds, their seeds are scattered by flowing water, not by wind.

Like all aquatic plants, they like colonies. Plant them in a group and if they don�t have a good amount of organic soil to expand in, they wont grow that fast.

As far as their importance for dragonflies and their larvae�s, they are a key plant to have. They are emergent, we planted them successfully up to 2 feet deep in water. They are also drought resistant if water drops a bit. And their flowers are beautiful.

I personally think that to be called a weed does not give it the respect it should have as a perfect pond plant! Match it with colonies of Arrowheads (Saggitaria latifolia), sure beats cattails!!! They keep shores cooler also.

Good post Mario. It is good to know that it will grow in deeper water. Directions for most marginals say 4 inches or so. Sounds like a good choice.

Thanks so much Mario. This sounds like just the plant for me to use.

I am looking to try some plants in and around my pond, My pond is way overloaded with nutrients right now, I am in the process of trying to get things under control. My father in law has a real nice water garden and his pickerel weed is beautiful!!! Is there a chance that I might be able to get away with planting it in some shallow areas of the pond? Hopefully I wont have to do a Sonar treatment this year.. Anyone have any suggestions of what type plants wont take over my pond over night?

Trialsguy,

You shouldn't have many problems with pickeralweed in our location. I've planted tons of it along with arrowhead. It won't grow deep so you should be fine. Plus, you're at your pond enough to manage it appropriately.

I've yet to see it's numbers explode and take over. It's one of my top three plants to get established.

Thanks I will check into it. Will it grow in 2' of water? I have alot of shore about half that is 2'deep out 3-5 foot from shore line. Ideally I hope that it wont spread out to far but I can pull it if need be.

What are the other two you like?

Frank

I also like to use water willow (Justicia sp. - not willow trees) and spadderdock. Water willow spreads quickly but it grows in shallow water. I really like to use it for bank stabilization projects. It is very easy to transplant and it takes hold quite well. It's also a great home for inverts and yoy fishes.

In other parts of the country, I've heard of spadderdock becomming overpopulated quickly. This almost certainly true, but once again, I haven't had any problems with it in my area. To qualify this statement, I should note that I plant the spadderdock in plastic containers. I also do the same when I plant fragant water lilies.

Is the pickeralweed the same as pickeral rush? It looks like the same stuff. My father in law picked me up a plant but I wanted to make sure

Try this link and see if it looks the same.

http://aquaplant.tamu.edu/database/emergent_plants/pickerelweed.htm