Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) is a floating aquatic plant that can be a great addition to a backyard pond. It has green leaves that form a rosette shape and grow up to 6 inches in length. Here are some things to keep in mind if you're considering adding water lettuce to your pond:
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Growing conditions: Water lettuce thrives in warm water with plenty of sunlight. It prefers still or slow-moving water and can be grown in both freshwater and brackish water.
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Nutrient uptake: Water lettuce is known for its ability to absorb nutrients from the water, which can help improve water quality in your pond. However, this means that it will also compete with other plants for nutrients, so it's important to monitor its growth and thin it out as needed to prevent it from taking over the pond.
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Invasive potential: In some areas, water lettuce is considered an invasive species because it can grow and spread quickly under the right conditions. Make sure to check with your local authorities before introducing water lettuce to your pond to ensure that it is allowed in your area.
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Winter care: Water lettuce is a warm-weather plant and will die back in cold temperatures. If you live in an area with cold winters, you'll need to remove the water lettuce from your pond before the first frost and store it indoors until the weather warms up again in the spring.
Overall, water lettuce can be a beautiful and beneficial addition to a backyard pond, but it's important to keep an eye on its growth and be aware of any regulations in your area regarding its use.
Please note these plants ship with trimmed roots as sometimes they tend to fall off during transit due to heat. In case roots fall off upon receiving them, just place them in your pond and give them couple of weeks so they can re-establish themselves. If you live in areas experiencing above 90 temperatures, please make sure these plants are retrieved as soon as possible as extreme heat could kill these plants while in a box. Lastly, these plants can not ship to: AL,AR,AZ,FL,LA,PR,MS,NE,SC,TX,WI
