- Bulrushes provide food and shelter for a variety of wildlife.altrendo nature/Stockbyte/Getty Images
Bring garden pond animals to your property by creating a garden pond complete with wildlife pond plants. The general rule for a healthy pond garden is 65 percent of the pond should be covered with plant life. - Common hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum) is a North American native pond plant whose name means "underwater horn." This fully submerged pond plant has bright green, stiff leaves and long, delicate stems. It is rootless and often anchors itself to the bottom of ponds with a pale (modified leaves used for anchoring). Common hornwort is excellent at oxygenating the water in a pond to help keep fish healthy. Plant this wildlife pond plant in the shade, as it is naturally adapted to low sunlight.
- Common duckweed (Lemna minor) is an aquatic plant that grows at the surface of lakes and ponds in USDA hardiness zones 4-10. This plant will grow at the surface in full sunlight or shade, as long as the water is still. Duckweed is completely edible and a favorite of most native fish and duck species. If you are building your wildlife pond in an area with frost-free winters, this plant may be too invasive unless you are willing to rake out the excess foliage. According to the Missouri Botanical Garden, duckweed is also a great source of food for "muskrats, beaver, birds (e.g., rails, herons) and small aquatic animals such as frogs."
- The small-fruited bulrush (Scirpus microcarpus) is a native North American wildlife pond plant with 1/2-inch wide V-shaped leaves. This garden edge plant grows to a height of 3 to 5 feet, providing excellent hiding and nesting spaces for native birds and wildlife. The small-fruited bulrush is a bog plant, so place it next to the pond in an area where its roots will still be submerged in water. The leaves of this tall pond plant are also an excellent source of food for local wildlife or can be cut and used to make baskets.
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