Rainman & Weissguy,
You guys should check out a plant called Thalia dealbata commonly called Thalia. It's a really cool plant that does well along the shoreline. It grows slowly in Missouri so it is easily controlled. I've seen in planted in two ponds. It is pretty impressive.
The genus Sagittaria contains lots of species. The pond/wetland varieties are more commonly know as arrowhead or duck potatoe. They stick to the shallows along the shoreline. I really like arrowhead for the same reasons I like water willow. The plants I'm referring to are easy to control. You can get them for free if you look around roadside ditches. They area also realyl common in a lot of ponds. Easy to transplant.
You guys should check out a book called Water Plants for Missouri Ponds. You can purchase it from MDC. It contains about 150 pages and has line drawings and some good color photos. One of the authors is James Whitley who is long retired from MDC, but he propagates and sells many types of aquatic plants. The last I knew he was living around Columbia, MO. Perhaps an internet search would locate him? He'll talk your ear off about plants and would be a good source for other plant recommendations.
