Water Lettuce

Pistia stratiotes is an attractive floating plant that should be treated as an annual in the UK. This plant produces rosettes of light green, fan-shaped foliage with long, feathery roots. The soft, thick, velvety leaves offer ample shade for aquatic life within the pond, and the trailing roots afford protection for young fry. The short, downy hairs on the leaves form basket-like structures which trap air bubbles, increasing the plant's buoyancy. Each plant can reach approximately 20cm (8") in width, and it spreads easily by sending out runners with daughter plants, and in doing so, quickly forms dense mats across the water's surface. In smaller ponds, you may need to thin out the plants periodically to prevent them taking over and shading out other plant life. Although P. stratiotes is considered a perennial in tropical climes, it is not frost hardy and will not survive UK winters outdoors; many aquarists like to bring some of their specimens indoors and keep them in a warm, moderately lit aquarium over the winter (ideally with dropped water level so the leaves are not too near the light source), and placing them back out into the pond once the danger of frosts has passed. Others simply purchase fresh plants at the beginning of each pond season. This low maintenance plant helps to oxygenate and clarify the water in the pond, helping to reduce the production of algae by utilising any excess nutrients in the water. Remove any leaves that start to turn yellow.

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