Baldellia ranunculoides
lesser water plantain
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- Standard £5.95
This pond plant dies right back in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again in spring.
- Position: full sun
- Depth of water: 0-10cm (0-4in)
- Rate of growth: slow
- Hardiness: fully hardy
Thriving in boggy situations and shallow waters, this British native gem graces ponds with its slender dark-green leaves and umbels of three-petaled pinky-purple flowers featuring a delightful yellow centre. This petite, clump-forming beauty, often rare in the wild due to water quality challenges, flowers generously throughout the summer leaving behind appealing spiky seed heads, offering a picturesque addition to tub gardens or small ponds. Resilient against pests, it provides a hassle-free, free-flowering spectacle, and a simple trim of spent seed heads prompts a fresh burst of blooms, ensuring a prolonged display of natural beauty in your aquatic haven.
Reliable in wet or very moist, ‘boggy’ fertile soils, this marginal plant can be planted in aquatic baskets (to reduce root disturbance) in shallow water up to 10cm (4"). Divide congested clumps in early spring every few years. Trim back dead foliage in late autumn. Baldellia is easily overrun by bigger plants and so is best selected for small or tiny ponds with very shallow water.