Submerged Flowering Water Plants

Water Lily

• Water lilies (Nymphaea spp.) offer a wide selection of types, from those that must never grow in cold water (tropicals) to those that can overwinter outdoors in cold water that doesn't freeze into ice (hardy lilies). Numerous cultivars exist, allowing gardeners to plant rhizomes in the mud and produce a wide array of flower colors as well as spread of the green to mottle burgundy and green lily pad leaves. Some water lilies open only during the day, while others overnight, attracting different types of pollinators. Examples of cultivars of tropical waterlilies are "Afterglow," "Leopardess," and "Blue Beauty." Hardy water lily cultivars include "James Brydon," "Texas Dawn," and "Perry's Pink."

Lotus

• There are two species of lotus: the sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) and the American lotus (Nelumbo lutea). Both are lovers of warm water and produce large circular green to blue-green leaves held above the water like plates on a stick. From the submerged rhizomes rise tall flower stems with large magnolia flower-like blossoms with a flat, cone-shaped seed head. Depending on species or cultivar, lotus flowers range in color from white and pale yellow to alluring shades of pink, fuchsia, apricot and lavender. Names of some cultivars of lotus include "Mrs. Perry D. Slocum" and "Rosea Plena."

Pond Lily

• In ponds with deep water, too deep even for water lilies to effectively grow, pond lilies (Nuphar spp.) are often grown. The leaves look like lily pads, but the flowers are small and bowl-shaped, always a shade of bright yellow and held above the water's surface. The American pond lily (Nuphar lutea) is also called cow lily or spatterdock.

Water Platter

• Water platters (Victoria spp.) are also referred to as giant water lilies since their leaves are massive and require very large pools of water to grow and prosper. These natives of the tropical Amazon Basin are short-lived perennial plants with huge floating leaves and large, volleyball-sized white flowers that open at night. Because of their sheer size and need for warm water, they are most often grown only at botanical gardens or by water garden enthusiasts who have invested time and resources.

Marginal Plants

• Marginal plants are those that grow naturally in the shallows around the pond's shores. Although they jet their foliage and flower well above the water's surface, their fleshy roots reside submerged in muck in no more than 6 inches of water. Examples of flowering marginal plants include flag irises (Iris spp.), monkey flowers (Mimulus spp.), duck potatoes/arrowheads (Sagittaria spp.) and flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus).