The Pond Plants Safe for Ducks

Water Lilies

• Water lilies (Nymphaea sp.) are classic plants for ponds and water gardens. The floating leaves add a colorful texture to the water surface and the blooms add interest to ponds through summer. Many different water lilies are readily available from nurseries. The large size of the leaves makes them safe to use in ponds with ducks. Ducks damage water lily leaves by swimming around your pond. However, a few displaced lily pads will not kill of water lilies.

Water Lotus

• American water lotus (Nelumbo lutea) is an attractive emergent plant that is highly beneficial when planted in duck ponds. The plants have large leaves that grow up to 2 feet in diameter and stand above the water surface on rigid stems. Water lotus has a dense, clumping growth habit and develops yellow or white flowers 10 inches in size. The thick rhizomatic root system is an ideal habitat for small aquatic invertebrates that attracts ducks to the plants, according to Texas A&M University.

Cattails

• Cattails (Typha sp.) are tall, emergent plants that grow on the margins of ponds and provide an important habitat for ducks. Cattails spread rapidly through a creeping rhizomatic root system and quickly spread around the edge of your pond if not contained. In addition to providing shelter for ducks, they also provide a productive foraging ground for ducks, as the shallow root systems are home to many aquatic insects, according to Saint Michael's College.

Taro

• Taro plants (Colocasia esculenta) are tall, emergent plants for ponds. The plants are native to South America, where the root bulbs are commonly harvested as a food source, according to the University of Florida. The plant is a common specimen plant for ponds, due to its tall, emergent form and attractive leaves. Mature plants grow up to 4 feet above the water surface and the large v-shaped leaves are deep green in color. Taro plants are an attractive ornamental plant that ducks do not damage.