Many plants that love moisture and thrive particularly well in moving water thrive in and around the water of a stream. Many species also have a purifying character and filter pond water in a completely natural way. You can find out which plants are best suited for a stream in the following article.
Which plants are suitable for a stream?
Aquatic plants such as stream speedwell, swan flower, cotton grass, water mint, swamp forget-me-not, frog spoonfoot, buttercup and pennywort are suitable for a stream. Shore plants such as gunsel, lady's mantle, water dost, meadowsweet, swamp irises, meadow irises, meadow knotweed and cuckoo campion are also suitable.
What is the right way to plant a stream?
If the stream is connected to a pond, plants growing on and in the water can be used as a natural filter - this is particularly important if it is a fish pond. To do this, you first direct the pond water out of the pond to the stream source in order to let it flow back over the stream from there. The aquatic plants remove unnecessary nutrients from the water flowing through it (which come from uneaten fish food, for example) and also enrich it with oxygen due to the turbulence that occurs. However, they do not replace the pond filter, because the stream plants only work as a supplement.
Aquatic plants
The following species, for example, are suitable for flowing, shallow waters - which ultimately includes a stream. It is best to plant them in a planting bag filled with substrate, which you integrate into the stream at the desired location.
- Bach speedwell (Veronica beccabunga): ideal for the bank zone, ground cover, pretty sky blue flowers
- Umbelliferous swan flower (Butomus umbellatus): umbel-like inflorescence with large, red-white individual flowers
- Narrow-leaved cotton grass (Eriophorum angustifolium): pretty, white fluffy flowers, but needs peaty, boggy soil
- English water mint (Preslia cervina): grows in loose clusters, pretty purple inflorescence
- Swamp forget-me-not (Myosotis palustris): numerous small, blue flowers
- Heart-leaved frog spoon (Alisma parviflorum): is particularly suitable for water purification due to its high nutrient requirements
- Burning buttercup (Ranunculus flammula): pretty yellow flowers, needs boggy soil
- Pennigkraut (Lysimachia nummularia): is well suited as a ground cover for bank areas, pretty yellow flowers
River planting
Plants that like moisture but do not need waterlogging are particularly suitable for pleasant planting on the bank area. In particular, pretty flowering plants as well as reeds and other grasses come into their own in this environment. For example, the following types are suitable:
- Günsel (Ajuga reptans): native ground cover with pretty purple flowers
- Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla mollis): clumpy growth, light yellow flowers
- Waterbird (Eupatorium cannabinum): clumpy growth, with reddish flowers
- Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria): feathery, white flowers, important food plant for insects
- Japanese iris (Iris ensata): very pretty flowers
- Meadow iris (Iris sibirica): very pretty flowers
- Meadow knotweed (Polygonum bistorta): for natural planting
- Cuckoo Campion (Lychnis floscuculi): native wildflower
Tip
Don't plant the stream too densely, otherwise the natural character will be lost and the plants will overgrow the stream bed. Furthermore, the number of plants must be chosen to match the amount of water so that the stream does not run dry.
