Pond Boss Forums POND CONSTRUCTION Creating habitat What plants CAN I plant on my dam?

Everyone says never plant tree's on a dam. Is there any kind of plant or tree other then grass....that I can plant on my dam and it wouldnt hurt it, or cause it to leak.

why dont you try some mixed native grasses and shrubs? down here we have some nice ones that are probably similar to what you can get in oregon including ceanothus (buck brush), baccharis (coyote bush), rhamnus (coffee berry), and heteromeles (toyon).

I'd think many plants with shallow, non-invasive root systems would be OK.

What about tree's? Theres a lot of shallow root tree's? Im just wondering it its not good for the damn because of the weight of the tree being on it, or because of the root system....or both? Ive heard people say you SHOULD plant trees because it binds the dirt together. Others say that the tree roots rot...and cause leaks?

I think it's the tree roots. And when & if the tree dies, it could be another problem.

Basically, I don't think it's recommended to put any trees on the damn itself. If fact, some have said not within 30' of the damn, I believe.

on trees on dam


pros
-my wife says they're pretty on the dam
-the birds like em
-they create shade

cons
-they put debris in water
-they use pond water
-deep or shallow rooted tree roots can cause counduits for water flow into (and out of) dam material particularly after they die
-large trees can topple over and suddenly remove a significant amount of dam material potentially causing a structural issue

you decide.

here's a couple shots you might find interesting

before renovation








after renovation

Maybe flowers or shrubs. All bulb flowers are safe. Irises will even grow right up to the water's edge. Maybe some of those giant elephant ears to give it a jungle look. Azaleas and hydrangeas have small, shallow root systems, and should be OK.

Thats a nice looking pond & dam ya got there. The problem I got with my dam is that I backed up a creek on a very steep hillside. So the dam stands very tall....but it doesnt back up that deep of water. Its almost like one of those "infinity/negative edge" pools you see in fancy homes. Next summer I think Im making that dam look like a boardwalk/bridge. Covering the whole thing.