Alternative plants Use native plants in your pond for the good of Scotland s wildlife

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1 Pond Alert! Managing your garden pond to protect Scotland s wildlife Alternative plants Use native plants in your pond for the good of Scotland s wildlife

2 Alternative plants Use native plants in your pond for the good of Scotland s wildlife Why is it important that I use native plants in my pond? Native plants make attractive additions to your pond and will benefit native wildlife. Some pond plants available at your local garden centre cause problems if they escape into the wild.they are easily transferred from your pond to the countryside on birds feet, pets paws or human shoes. Remember that it is illegal to uproot any plants growing in the wild. Make sure you buy your native pond plants from a reputable supplier: check Some pond plants that are currently on sale are non-native and if they escape into the wild can quickly take over fresh water habitats, causing problems that are very expensive to remedy. Plantlife is concerned about the impact these plants are having on our native species and habitats. Fortunately, there are many native Scottish plants that would be suitable for your garden pond. Some will survive in typical Scottish upland, acidic water and be able to cope with cold, exposed winters, whilst others will thrive naturally in the more nutrient-rich waters at lower altitudes. To find out whether a species is native to where you live go to the Postcode Plants Database Native plants are increasingly available at garden centres and it is now possible to find a good range of native oxygenators and colourful emergents. Some of the best are described below. Oxygenating pond plants These aquatic plants live largely or completely underwater and, as the name suggests, release oxygen into the pond. This increases the number and diversity of fish and other wildlife that can thrive in your pond. Rigid Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) Description: the best native oxygenator, widely available in garden centres during the later part of the season (June-September). Has whorled leaves and readily produces tiny, delicate whitish and green flowers from July- September. Hardy. Growing conditions: shade tolerant, prefers quite nutrient rich water up to 1m deep. Native range: scattered locations in lowland areas of Scotland. Spiked Water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) Description: produces spikes of whorled, tiny 4-petalled reddish flowers with yellow stamens from June to August. A relative of the invasive species Parrot s-feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum), BOB GIBBONS/NATURAL IMAGE PETER WILSON/NATURAL IMAGE

3 but does not produce a dense crop of feathery leaves above the surface of the water. Hardy. Growing conditions: tolerates a range of substrates, water up to 2m deep and sunny to partially shaded sites. Native range: mostly in lowland areas, in a variety of habitats from fens to machair lochs. Broad-leaved Pondweed (Potamogeton natans) Description: a useful native oxygenator, with floating leaves, which makes this species attractive to insects. Petal-less flowers appear in spikes held clear above water from May to September, producing fruits. Hardy. Growing conditions: will grow in nutrient poor water, from 30cm to 3m deep and requires full sun. Native range: this plant grows throughout Scotland and is the most suitable Potamogeton species for acidic water in north and west Scotland. Curled Pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) Description: another good oxygenator, this submerged species with wavy-edged leaves produces emergent flowers in loose greenish spikes from May to October. The shaped leaves and grooved stem means that this species provides a good underwater habitat for aquatic animals, such as tadpoles and pond snails. Hardy. BOB GIBBONS/NATURAL IMAGE Growing conditions: grows across a range of nutrient conditions, in sun to partial shade, on a variety of substrates and in water up to 75cm deep. Native range: widespread in southern and eastern Scotland. Common Water-crowfoot (Ranunculus aquatilis) Description: a pretty annual or short-lived perennial species. Has both submerged and floating leaves, with the submerged being much more divided. Produces white flowers, 10-20mm, in May-July. Hardy. Growing conditions: prefers shallow water, with good nutrient levels and grows best on muddy pond edges. Native range: generally found in southern and eastern Scotland and in the southern Western Isles. BOB GIBBONS/NATURAL IMAGE BOB GIBBONS/NATURAL IMAGE

4 Alternative plants Use native plants in your pond for the good of Scotland s wildlife Know your nutrients The nutrient level and ph of the water in your pond affect how well certain species grow, just as they do in the rest of the garden, and this should have a bearing on which plants you choose. Testing the ph is quite simple using special paper strips available from most garden centres. Nutrient levels can be estimated from the condition of the pond and surrounding area. Generally, if water levels in your pond are affected by surface run-off in agricultural, urban or intensively gardened areas where the water is hard and has a ph of over 7 then nutrient levels are likely to be high. This will be confirmed if you have algal blooms. Tips for lowering nutrient levels can be found on the back page of this leaflet. Conversely, if your pond is in a rural upland garden, in an area of soft water with a ph of less than 7 and with little industrial or horticultural run-off, then the water is likely to be low in nutrients and a different set of plants are most suitable. Emergent plants These plants like to have their feet in water, whilst most of the plant grows above the water surface. They tend to have more colourful flowers and are also useful for the larvae of animals such as dragonflies. Many of these species grow well, so should be planted in a basket and may need regular thinning, with the excess material being good for the compost heap or garden waste bin. Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus) Description: a striking perennial, growing cm tall. An elegant species with large yellow flowers from June-August and greyish, sword-like leaves. Hardy. Growing conditions: will grow in sun or partial shade on a range of substrates. Native range: throughout Scotland at altitudes below 300m. Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) Description: unmistakeable frothy, white flowers 15mm across in May-July, on stems 10-30cm tall. Creeping stems with long stalked greyish-green leaves divided into three lobes. Hardy. Growing conditions: very adaptable but needs full sun. Requires regular trimming to contain spread. Native range: throughout Scotland. JOE SUTTON/PLANTLIFE DEBORAH LONG/PLANTLIFE

5 Alternative plants Use native plants in your pond for the good of Scotland s wildlife Water Forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides) Description: a widely available perennial, this is a highly attractive water s edge plant. The stem and leaf structure provide a good resting/shelter place for insects and the plant can grow to 70cm tall. Sky-blue (occasionally pink) flowers seen from June-September. Hardy. Growing conditions: will grow in water up to 30cm deep and in partial shade. Native range: grows in fertile, lowland sites throughout Scotland. Lesser Spearwort (Ranunculus flammula) Description: colourful addition to margins of acidic, nutrient poor ponds, with yellow flowers from May to September, and stem growing to 50cm tall with reddish tinges towards the base. Hardy. Growing conditions: likes the sun and happy to grow in shallow water less than 30cm deep. Best suited to large ponds. Native range: throughout Scotland. BOB GIBBONS/NATURAL IMAGE BOB GIBBONS/NATURAL IMAGE Water Mint (Mentha aquatica) Description: scented perennial, with rounded heads of purplish flowers in July-October, produced up the 90cm stem and in a terminal head. Hardy. Growing conditions: grows in sun or partial shade in water up to 30cm deep. Plant in baskets to contain spread. Native range: throughout Scotland. Water-plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica) Description: growing to 1m tall with whitepinkish, 3-petalled flowers produced in delicate tiers during June-August. Hardy. Growing conditions: a versatile plant, will grow in sun or partial shade in nutrient rich water up to 50cm deep, on fine-grained substrates. Native range: Central Belt, southern Scotland and southern coast of the Moray Firth. SU COOPER/PLANTLIFE SU COOPER/PLANTLIFE

6 Many native species grow quickly and ponds require maintenance to prevent them becoming overgrown: When plants become too dense remove some plant material with a rake/net or by uprooting. Clear your pond in early autumn, when animals are less likely to be disturbed, and try not to remove more than 25% of the vegetation within a 5-year period. Even if only a quarter of the pond is open water, it can still be very good for wildlife. Leave on the side of the pond for a few hours to let pond creatures escape back to the pond. Transfer to the compost heap. Do not put any pond plants into local ponds, lochs, rivers or streams or down drains. Try to avoid adding nutrients to your pond by preventing grass clippings, fertilisers or plant food from reaching the water, and if you refill using tap water, leave it to stand for a couple of days before adding to the pond. Scotland@plantlife.org.uk Plantlife is the UK s leading charity working to protect wild plants and their habitats Plantlife Scotland, Balallan House, Allan Park, Stirling, FK8 2QG Tel: / Plantlife International The Wild Plant Conservation Charity is a charitable company limited by guarantee. Registered Charity Number: Registered Company Number: Registered in England COVER PICTURE BY JOE SUTTON/PLANTLIFE DESIGN: RJPDESIGN.CO.UK ISBN: February 2007