Water gardening has always been popular. It is very easy to grow water plants and there are many different varieties of water plant that you can grow. Water plants will grow in any size pond, a large water bowl or even a small pot, depending on what you choose. To create interest and depth use plants of different heights and different foliage types. There are plants which will grow from beneath the water surface, on the surface and even up to 2 metres above it.
A plant that grows directly on the water surface is the water lettuce or apu-apu, (Pistia stratiotes). This plant grows floating on the surface and the feathery roots trail a few cm’s into the water below. It can grow to about to 15 cm above water level, it needs little care, and multiplies rapidly. It can be used in ponds, and is attractive in a small pot by a doorway. As the name suggests, it looks like a small lettuce floating on the water. It needs no soil, simply throw it in to the pond or water bowl. If in a pond, fish will feed on the root system. It also helps by covering the pond surface, thus reducing evaporation, and restricting sunlight which will in turn reduce algae growth, particularly a problem in water bowls with no water reticulation system.
Water-lily (Nympha genus) and lotus (Nelumbo genus). Many people get confused between the water-lily (bunga teratai) and the lotus. The difference between the two; the water lily has leaves which grow from below and float on the water surface, whilst the lotus has leaves that usually grow up to a metre above the water surface. In Buddhist literature the lotus is a plant that grows out of the slimy disgusting mud, to produce the most beautiful flower. It is compared with life, ‘whatever your life circumstances, it’s possible for the most beautiful thing to rise.’
These plants have similar requirements. They need a large water bowl or pond to grow in. Place gravel or stones on the surface of the pot to stop the mud leaching out into the pond. The pot should be placed so that the root stock of the lily or lotus lies 10cm to 40 cm below the water surface. If your water is too deep, use bricks to build up a stand for your plant to sit on. These plants do not like turbulent water, so do not place directly under fountains or water features. For frequent flowering they require full sun, and need to be re-potted every two years to stop the pot becoming root-bound, which will also affect flowering. To get the best out of the lotus, it’s best to plant them in an earth bottom pond, because the more the lotus can run, the more it will flower. In Bali, the most common water lily, are white, yellow, pink or purple. The lotus usually comes in varieties red, white and yellow.
A few other plants grown in similar conditions, to the lotus and lily that deserve a mention are the water jasmine or melati air (Echinodorus palaefolius), and the arum lily or kala lili (Zantedeschia aethiopica.) They both have attractive foliage and can grow up to a metre above the surface. The water jasmine has small white flowers which grow in clumps off a stalk, whereas the arum lily has large white flowers with an elongated yellow style. These plants are best in a small pot within a water bowl or pond.
If you don’t have a pond or water bowl there are some other alternatives. Water plants to grow in small pots include; Horsetail or paku ekor kuda (Equisetum hyemale); Cat’s tail or padi padian (Typha angustifolia); and Papyrus reed or pepayungan (Cyperus genus), which has many varieties. All of these plants are common throughout Indonesia.
The horsetail plant has long thin, needle like foliage, which grows tightly clumped. It is grown for its attractive foliage. The Cat’s tail has long thin foliage, with a brown elongated flower. The papyrus reed is the same plant used by the Egyptians for paper, and has long green foliage with a spherical feathery flower, green to brown. All of these can grow upwards of a metre.
A feature plant for a pot is the water banana or pisang air (Typhonodorum lindleyanum). As the name suggests it looks like a banana growing in water. It is found mainly in the nurseries around the Sanur area. They can cost upwards of Rp 250000. A plant grown mainly for its beautiful foliage is the elephants ear or kuping gajah (Colocasia esculenta). It has showy purple stems with green or purple leaves.
All of these foliage plants are attractive planted in clumps in elongated planter boxes (see the picture below). If in pots or planter boxes, they are best grown filled in with boggy soil, topped with stones or small rocks. They can be very attractive against walls, entrances, and even indoors along hallways, it’s up to you! I would avoid placing them directly into your pond, as without constant maintenance they may take over, and suck the pond dry. So keep them in pots even if you put them in the pond.
From left to right: Padi-padian grown in an elongated planter box, cat’s tail, horsetail and papyrus.
The water hyacinth or enceng gondok (Eichhornia crassipes) is another water plant, very common in the nurseries in Bali. It grows above the surface, has large green foliage, and large white to purple flowers. It is eye catching on its own, though it will easily take over and choke any pond, so be careful, and I don’t recommend it.
A benefit of growing water plants in a pond is that they provide filtration to the water, and also oxygenate the water in some cases. Water plants are adapted to using very few nutrients, so when you are growing them you don’t need to use a good potting mix and definitely don’t use garden compost as that has far too many nutrients in it, it would help algae to grow and would make your fish unwell. When you buy the plants they will come ready and potted so you don’t really have to worry about the soil. If you find that your water plants are taking over your pond or water bowl, pull out the excess and add them to your compost. They will quickly dry out and decompose. Never throw them into small streams or sewers, as they will easily find their way into the river system, causing problems for the natural ecology of the river systems. If you are worried about mosquitoes within your water garden, put some small zebra fish into your pond. They will live in harmony with the goldfish and will do a good job at eating the mosquito larvae.
With a cluster of water plants you can make up a beautiful landscape in either a pot or a pond. You are limited only by your imagination. You can use a range of plants that flower, or have interesting leaves. Use combinations inter-dispersed to create dramatic effects. My general guide for a water bowl would be to use a feature plant that grows above the water surface at the centre, with a scattering of plants around this is on the surface. Use different foliage colours, shapes and heights to create depth and contrast. As in the picture, we have a water jasmine grown at centre, with water lilies and water lettuce surrounding.
A water bowl filled with water jasmine (centre), surrounded by water lilies and water lettuce.
If you have any questions about your garden please send me an email.
Dr.Kris - Contact: dr.kris@ymail.com
