Pond Boss Forums AQUATIC VEGETATION Balance of plants in the environment Botswana Wonder - Anybody know this plant?

I have ordered a few Water Hyacinths for this season to try out and noticed another floating type of plant that is said to be the next best alternative should the Hyacinths (and water lettuce) be illegal in your region. I hope to take up some nutrients with these floating plants contained in floating hoops of some sort.

I ordered a couple of them, but wanted to ask the group if their was any experiences with this plant to be shared before I "set them free" in the pond? There's not much out there on the web other than they do not survive the winters this far north and appear to resemble the Hyacinths with respect to general mannerisms.

Aeschynomene fluitans (Botswana Wonder or Large Leaf Sensitive Plant)...

QA,

I've had it growing in a big patch on the South side of my pond the last 3 years. It really has never gone into the water that far. It may be because, this far north, it dies out each year and comes back from seed again in the spring. I suspect the plants would get larger and more aggressive if they did not die every year. It is different than small leaf sensitive plant in that the leaves don't instantly close up when you touch it.

Hope that helps,

Bill D.

So Bill, It actually comes back from the soils that far north in Illinois???

I may have misunderstood my web research. Hmmm?

As far as I can tell, it re-seeds itself. It behaves like an annual here. Maybe in warmer climates it's a perennial? I like it around the pond. Has tons of yellow flowers and crowds out most everything else.

Bill, You stated that it grows from the un-submerged banks (if I may paraphrase) and I believe that the Aeschynomene fluitans actually is a floating plant, not one that grows from the soil.

There are several plants in the Aeschynomene genus that look very similar. I even have some that look like it growing in some of my meadows far from water. I am thinking that we are talking about different plants that look and act very much the same (with the exception of where the roots tend to reside).

According to some of my web reading, the Aeschynomene fluitans comes from places like Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zambia (all south Africa).

Don't get me wrong, I don't know diddly about this plant just what little I have found on the web and truly appreciate any and all conversation on the subject. I am going to do some more digging for web info on these guys and see if I can gain that comfort level of putting them in the pond.

QA,

I'm not a plant expert either! I suspect you're right that it is probably a different plant that just looks similar. If mine comes back again this year, I'll try to remember to post a pic.

QA...have you found out anything more on this plant? I'm still looking for something to build a floating island out of.

This plant might be a decent floating island plant if they had some substrate to live in, but, I'm afraid, my efforts in trying this plant have failed. I bought the Botswana Wonder (Aeschynomene Fluitans) from a web vendor who's description merely consisted of this...

"Our Favorite Floating Pond Plant Easy to grow, Easy to Maintain!".

Well, I bought 4 of them and they had a stem and a root system as opposed to the floating bulbs of the hyacinth with hanging hair-like roots. I planted them in the shallows in some good soils and they did not make it. They seemed to be flourishing, but between the fluctuating water levels this spring and, maybe, something with a taste for them...they are no-more.

Everything I read called them a "floating plant", but I'm not convinced that they do not need some sort of anchor. Maybe they would float after they get some size to them, but the little pieces I received would not have been contained in a floating corral.

I may try again next year, but I think I should try to grow them out in temporary containers until they mature more. If something did not eat them, they may have merely floated out of their soil during one of the many heavy rain events and wondered off.

It sure would be nice to find something that wouldn't grow too aggressively or be illegal to use. Everything I've found is one or both. I've already resolved myself to 24/7 aeration next fall/winter
/spring to try to knock down my nutrient load.

Hey Mike, Good news, the Botswana has reappeared in one spot. It must have died back when the water came up and then regrew a few inches away from it's original planted location. At any rate, it's growing, but not too fast. We'll see how it does.

I'm glad it came back for you Noel. I just ordered 5 hybrid lilies. Hope to have them by the weekend. Everything else is illegal here, but I may have to go commando if these dont help.

Mike good luck with the lilies, I have a couple and like them and want to add more as I can. They can be a bit pricey.
Dave

Well, the Botswana is still living in my pond, but with minimal growth. Maybe I'm doing it wrong...here's it's current state (2-3 weeks after the previous posted photo...

A month later and the Botswana has grown a little. It is about 20 inches long. A pretty plant, but not was I was hoping for as far as seasonal growth and nutrient consumption. No flowers as of yet...



Augie, If you look to the right of the base of the Botswana, you'll see one of your mystery plants that you gave me. It's not doing much. I hope yours are growing.

How are your hyacinth plants doing? How much are you having to cull them these days?

FLX, I just updated WH thread here...

http://forums.pondboss.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=509760&#Post509760

I am removing, on average, about one 5 gallon bucket a day.

The mystery plants are growing and multiplying in my pond.

Still no sign of flowers on any of them.

The money wort you gifted me is starting to look happy. It looked pretty sad for the first week but they are starting to put out some new growth now.

I bet what you are seeing on the bank is Partridge Pea, a common native plant, at least in MO.

Here's a pic of the marginal I have. Usually, a lot more flowers than this but it is starting the process of going to seed. You can see the immature seed pods (resemble small pea pods) hanging everywhere.

yeah that's Partridge Pea, Bill.

More of a prairie plant than a marginal...

Thanks for the ID guys. I like having it. We mow every where except for a couple of feet from the pond. That's probably why I only see it on the shore.

Just updating the progress (if you want to call it that) of the one Botswana the lived in my pond this season. It did not go crazy by any means and I don't expect it to live through the winter, but here are a couple photos. All in all, I have enjoyed having it...it just didn't make much of a show. I doubt I do them again.





At least the crawdads did not eat it!