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pondweeds (Potamogeton)
Aquatic pondweeds grow in freshwater environments. They can float or be submerged, and tend to look like leaves sitting on or below the surface of the water, with the flowering stems also sticking up from or sitting below the water's surface. These plants can be cultivated in ponds to increase oxygen.
Lifespan
Perennial
Key Facts About pondweeds
Feedback
Attributes of pondweeds
Leaf type
Deciduous
Scientific Classification of pondweeds
How to Grow and Care for pondweeds
Feedback
Pondweeds are aquatic plants often found in freshwater habitats. These plants typically require submerged conditions with adequate sunlight and clean, nutrient-rich water for optimal growth. They are generally hardy but can face challenges from algae overgrowth, water pollution, and herbivory. Seasonal care varies, with some species requiring thinning in summer to prevent overcrowding and dieback in winter, others may remain evergreen, needing consistent care year-round.
How to Water pondweeds?
What Are the Sunlight Requirements for pondweeds?
How to Propagate pondweeds?
How to Plant pondweeds?
Exploring the pondweeds Plants
Feedback
8 most common species：
Curly-leaf pondweed
Curly-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) is an invasive aquatic plant that forms dense mats on the surface of the water, depriving native plants of the sunlight and oxygen needed for growing. It spreads easily by seed and rhizomes, as plant pieces are broken off and regrow. Moves into new waters by clinging to boats, trailers and equipment.
Shining pondweed
Shining pondweed (Potamogeton lucens) is an aquatic perennial that is commonly found submerged in standing or slow-moving lakes or ponds. It is a great oxygen-providing plant for deep water, and its stems can grow from 2 to 5 m long. It produces creamy white flowers from summer to fall, and it can be propagated by stem cuttings in spring.
Floating pondweed
Floating pondweed (Potamogeton natans) also known as broad-leaved pondweed or floating-leaf pondweed grows in slow-moving arctic and subarctic freshwater. Its floating leaves are ovate and leathery while the submerged leaves are more grasslike. The flowering season runs from spring to fall.
Clasped pondweed
Clasped pondweed is an excellent source of food for waterfowl and habitat for other wildlife. It is a commonly submerged plant in ponds and has been sold as an ornamental but can become weedy. The plant is native to much of the world and is listed in the Global Invasive Species Database.
Long-leaf pondweed
Long-leaf pondweed is an aquatic, herbaceous perennial found in ponds and other still bodies of water throughout the world. As the common name suggests, this is a weed found in ponds that has long leaves (9 to 20 cm). The leaves help provide shade and cover for fish and other aquatic life.
Small pondweed
At first glance, small pondweed boasts a grass-like appearance and is considered a fine-leaved pondweed species, which is unusual for plants of this genus. The epithet pusillus in its Latin name Potamogeton pusillus means "small." As fall arrives, small pondweed turns solely into turions to aid propagation. Although easy to cultivate, this plant does not have much ornamental value.
Small pondweed
The Potamogeton berchtoldii, also known by its common name, small pondweed, is an aquatic plant. It is native to Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Asia. It is suitable for growing in an aquarium, or in a pond because of its non-invasive nature.
Red pondweed
Red pondweed is an aquatic perennial rooted in fresh water bodies. Its slim, branching stems are crowned with oval, translucent leaves that dance in the current. Flourishing in clear streams and lakes, red pondweed's submerged foliage provides a lush habitat for aquatic wildlife, while its tiny, inconspicuous flowers bloom just above the surface, suggesting a delicate balance between beauty and utility.
All Species of pondweeds
Curly-leaf pondweed
Curly-leaf pondweed
Curly-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) is an invasive aquatic plant that forms dense mats on the surface of the water, depriving native plants of the sunlight and oxygen needed for growing. It spreads easily by seed and rhizomes, as plant pieces are broken off and regrow. Moves into new waters by clinging to boats, trailers and equipment.
Shining pondweed
Shining pondweed
Shining pondweed (Potamogeton lucens) is an aquatic perennial that is commonly found submerged in standing or slow-moving lakes or ponds. It is a great oxygen-providing plant for deep water, and its stems can grow from 2 to 5 m long. It produces creamy white flowers from summer to fall, and it can be propagated by stem cuttings in spring.
Floating pondweed
Floating pondweed
Floating pondweed (Potamogeton natans) also known as broad-leaved pondweed or floating-leaf pondweed grows in slow-moving arctic and subarctic freshwater. Its floating leaves are ovate and leathery while the submerged leaves are more grasslike. The flowering season runs from spring to fall.
Clasped pondweed
Clasped pondweed
Clasped pondweed is an excellent source of food for waterfowl and habitat for other wildlife. It is a commonly submerged plant in ponds and has been sold as an ornamental but can become weedy. The plant is native to much of the world and is listed in the Global Invasive Species Database.
Long-leaf pondweed
Long-leaf pondweed
Long-leaf pondweed is an aquatic, herbaceous perennial found in ponds and other still bodies of water throughout the world. As the common name suggests, this is a weed found in ponds that has long leaves (9 to 20 cm). The leaves help provide shade and cover for fish and other aquatic life.
Small pondweed
Small pondweed
At first glance, small pondweed boasts a grass-like appearance and is considered a fine-leaved pondweed species, which is unusual for plants of this genus. The epithet pusillus in its Latin name Potamogeton pusillus means "small." As fall arrives, small pondweed turns solely into turions to aid propagation. Although easy to cultivate, this plant does not have much ornamental value.
Small pondweed
Small pondweed
The Potamogeton berchtoldii, also known by its common name, small pondweed, is an aquatic plant. It is native to Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Asia. It is suitable for growing in an aquarium, or in a pond because of its non-invasive nature.
Red pondweed
Red pondweed
Red pondweed is an aquatic perennial rooted in fresh water bodies. Its slim, branching stems are crowned with oval, translucent leaves that dance in the current. Flourishing in clear streams and lakes, red pondweed's submerged foliage provides a lush habitat for aquatic wildlife, while its tiny, inconspicuous flowers bloom just above the surface, suggesting a delicate balance between beauty and utility.
Oblong-leaved pondweed
Oblong-leaved pondweed
Oblong-leaved pondweed (Potamogeton polygonifolius) is a specialist water plant that is adapted to acidic waters with few nutrients. It is classed as an endangered species in countries including Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic. This plant is well-suited to garden ponds because of its preference for very shallow water.
Red pondweed
Red pondweed
Red pondweed is a perennial herb anchoring in the mud substrate via a creeping rhizome. It produces a cylindrical unbranched stem, up to 3 m in length. It has sessile lance-shaped submerged leaves that are typically 7 to 18 cm long and 1 to 2.5 cm wide with 4-7 lateral veins on either side and a slightly hooded apex, with an untoothed margin. Floating leaves may also be produced.
Snailseed pondweed
Snailseed pondweed
Snailseed pondweed is an aquatic perennial herb known for its submerged, ribbon-like leaves, which thrive in the still or slow-flowing waters of ponds and lakes. This slender plant possesses small, inconspicuous flowers, and its ability to photosynthesize underwater plays a crucial role in its ecosystem, contributing to oxygen production and providing habitat to aquatic life.
Waterthread pondweed
Waterthread pondweed
It can be difficult to distinguish from similar species of pondweed. One of the first confirmed findings in Canada was made in Alberta by one of the nation's leading young ecologists, a graduate of Trent University and Sir Sandford Fleming College. It is still unknown just how far north the plant can be found, as this finding could signal its ability to grow in colder regions of North America.
American pondweed
American pondweed
This is a perennial, rhizomatous herb producing narrow, compressed, unspotted stems to a maximum length of about 1 m. The stems are either unbranched or sparingly branched. It has two types of leaf. The submersed leaves are sessile 5 to 25 cm long and 1 to 10 mm wide, translucent, linear in shape and ribbonlike, red-brown to light green in colour with a blunt to acute tip.
Variableleaf pondweed
Variableleaf pondweed
This is an aquatic perennial growing from a creeping rhizome that anchors in wet substrate. It produces thin, cylindrical, heavily branching stems usually less than a metre in length. The submerged leaves are sessile, relatively narrow, typically 4 to 9 cm long and 5 to 12 mm wide along the main stem but smaller on the side branches.
Robbins' pondweed
Robbins' pondweed
The rootstock of Potamogeton robbinsii lacks tubers. The stems root from the lower nodes, and sterile stems are either simple or widely branching and are feather-like, covered with sheathing whitish stipules. The sterile stems measure 10 to 90 cm long. Flowering stems grow up to 2 m tall.
Roundleaf pondweed
Roundleaf pondweed
Roundleaf pondweed is an aquatic perennial with a preference for calm, freshwater habitats. Its long, slender stems anchor it within soft sediments, while its floating leaves, often clear or slightly mottled, capture sunlight at the surface. Its underwater foliage, adapted to low-light conditions, is crucial for water oxygenation and provides shelter for aquatic fauna.
Mud pondweed
Mud pondweed
Mud pondweed is an aquatic plant thriving under the still or slow-moving waters of lakes, ponds, and rivers. Its slightly oval, floating leaves often grace the water's surface, while slender, submerged stems reach downwards, anchoring into the soft, muddy bottom. This species is distinguished by its ability to adapt to various water depths, illustrating a remarkable resilience within its freshwater habitats.
More Popular Genus
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Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
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About
Key Facts
How To Care
All Species
More Genus
pondweeds
Potamogeton
Aquatic pondweeds grow in freshwater environments. They can float or be submerged, and tend to look like leaves sitting on or below the surface of the water, with the flowering stems also sticking up from or sitting below the water's surface. These plants can be cultivated in ponds to increase oxygen.
Lifespan
Perennial
Key Facts About pondweeds
Feedback
Attributes of pondweeds
Leaf type
Deciduous
Scientific Classification of pondweeds
How to Grow and Care for pondweeds
Feedback
Pondweeds are aquatic plants often found in freshwater habitats. These plants typically require submerged conditions with adequate sunlight and clean, nutrient-rich water for optimal growth. They are generally hardy but can face challenges from algae overgrowth, water pollution, and herbivory. Seasonal care varies, with some species requiring thinning in summer to prevent overcrowding and dieback in winter, others may remain evergreen, needing consistent care year-round.
How to Water pondweeds?
What Are the Sunlight Requirements for pondweeds?
How to Propagate pondweeds?
How to Plant pondweeds?
Exploring the pondweeds Plants
Feedback
8 most common species：
Curly-leaf pondweed
Curly-leaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) is an invasive aquatic plant that forms dense mats on the surface of the water, depriving native plants of the sunlight and oxygen needed for growing. It spreads easily by seed and rhizomes, as plant pieces are broken off and regrow. Moves into new waters by clinging to boats, trailers and equipment.
Shining pondweed
Shining pondweed (Potamogeton lucens) is an aquatic perennial that is commonly found submerged in standing or slow-moving lakes or ponds. It is a great oxygen-providing plant for deep water, and its stems can grow from 2 to 5 m long. It produces creamy white flowers from summer to fall, and it can be propagated by stem cuttings in spring.
Floating pondweed
Floating pondweed (Potamogeton natans) also known as broad-leaved pondweed or floating-leaf pondweed grows in slow-moving arctic and subarctic freshwater. Its floating leaves are ovate and leathery while the submerged leaves are more grasslike. The flowering season runs from spring to fall.
Clasped pondweed
Clasped pondweed is an excellent source of food for waterfowl and habitat for other wildlife. It is a commonly submerged plant in ponds and has been sold as an ornamental but can become weedy. The plant is native to much of the world and is listed in the Global Invasive Species Database.
Show More Species
All Species of pondweeds
More Popular Genus
Feedback
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
Your Ultimate Guide to Plants
Identify grow and nurture the better way!
17,000 local species +400,000 global species studied
Nearly 5 years of research
80+ scholars in botany and gardening
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
