Water Lettuce Floating Pond Plant

Description

Water Lettuce Floating Pond Plant Pistia stratiotes

Water lettuce is native to South America and widely grown as an ornamental floating pond plant here in the UK. It provides shade and cover for fish and other pond life, which shelter beneath its fibrous roots. That cover makes fish feel more secure, less exposed to predators like herons. Small fry will also use the roots to hide from adult fish.

Like all plants, water lettuce absorbs nitrates from the water, helping to keep your water quality in check.

Will it survive winter? Water lettuce cannot survive frost or a British winter. However, overwintering them is straightforward. Simply move them into a bucket or tray of water somewhere warm and well-lit, a conservatory works perfectly. Feed them occasionally with a plant fertiliser and don’t be alarmed if they shrink right down over the colder months. Once the temperature rises and the days start to lengthen again in spring, they’ll recover and grow back strongly.

Treating them as an annual and replacing them each April is also a perfectly valid option if overwintering isn’t convenient for you.

One thing to note: keep water lettuce away from waterfalls and fountains. It dislikes wet leaves.

Available to buy from April to September.

If you have any questions about whether water lettuce is right for your pond, please contact us and a member of our pond team will be happy to help.

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