Marginal Water Plants

Marginal water plants grow in shallow water or in moist soil around the perimeter of the water garden. The largest selection of water plants falls within this group.

Acorus gramineus'Ogon' / Ogon Sweet Flag
Low growing grass-like plant with brilliant green and yellow striping on the foliage. Seems to glow when placed in the sun.
Height: 1'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 5
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Acorus gramineus 'Variegatus' / Variegated Acorus
Low growing grass-like plant with green and cream striping. Inconspicuous flowers.
Height: 1'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 5
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Bacopa caroliniana / Lemon Bacopa:
Lemon scented plant with bright blue flowers that bloom all summer.
Available May 2018
Height: 2" - 4"
Hardiness: USDA Zone 9 (Tropical)
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Bloom: Summer
Baumea rubiginosa 'Variegata' / Variegated Striped Rush
Tall, needle-shaped, dark green rush with vertical yellow stripes.
Height: 1' - 2'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 6
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Caltha palustris / Yellow Marsh Marigold
Single yellow flowers and deep green leaves with scalloped edges. One of the first plants to bloom in spring. Best if planted in a cool, shady location.
Height: 1' - 2'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 2
Exposure: Part / Full Shade
Bloom: Spring - Summer
Canna sp. Orange / Orange Canna
Large broad-bladed leaves with spectacular orange flowers accented with yellow.
Height: 4' - 6'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 8
Exposure: Full Sun
Bloom: Summer
Canna sp. Pink / Pink Canna
Large broad-bladed leaves with pink flowers bearing a striking resemblance to gladiolas.
Height: 4' - 5'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 8
Exposure: Full Sun
Bloom: Summer
Canna sp. Red / Red Canna
Large broad-bladed leaves with red flowers.
Height: 4' - 5'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 8
Exposure: Full Sun
Bloom: Summer
Canna sp. Yellow / Yellow Canna
Large broad-bladed leaves with bright yellow flowers bearing a striking resemblance to gladiolas.
Height: 4' - 6'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 8
Exposure: Full Sun
Bloom: Summer
Carex obnupta / Slough Sedge
Arching, grassy leaves with dark brown seed heads. Semi-evergreen. Native of the Pacific Northwest.
Height: 3' - 4'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 4
Exposure: Full Sun
Colocasia esculenta 'Fontanesii' / Violet Stem Taro / Available May
Dark violet stems compliment blue-green leaves. Largest and most prolific member of our taro collection.
Height: 5' - 6'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 9 (Tropical)
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Colocasia esculenta 'Illustris' / Imperial Taro / Available May
Heart shaped leaves are black with green veins. Stems are green.
Height: 3' - 4'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 9 (Tropical)
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Cyperus alternifolius / Umbrella Palm
Parasols of ribbon-like leaves on top of tall, slender stems. Foliage is contrasted by small, wheat colored seed heads.
Height: 4' - 6'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 8
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Cyperus alternifolius 'Gracilis' / Dwarf Umbrella Palm
Parasols of ribbon-like leaves splayed around the top of tall, slender stems. Smaller version of standard Umbrella Palm.
Height: 2' - 3'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 8
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Cyperus haspen viviparous / Dwarf Papyrus /Available May
Fine thread-like foliage held above slender stems. Yellow-green florets turn bronze in late summer. Looks like a miniature Egyptian Papyrus.
Height: 1' - 2'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 9
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Cyperus longus / Hardy Umbrella Grass
Tall, triangular stems with long, slender bright green leaves splayed in parasol fashion at tips. Very tropical look, yet extremely hardy.
Height: 3' - 4'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 4
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Cyperus papyrus / Egyptian Papyrus
Thick mop of wispy thread-like foliage held on top of tall stems. This plant needs strong lighting to maintain its full and lush appearance.
Height: 5' - 12'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 9 (Tropical)
Exposure: Full Sun
Dichromena Latifolia / Star Grass
Attractive perennial grass with dark green, grassy foliage topped with white star shaped flowers. Blooms Spring thru Fall.
Height: 18" Hardiness: USDA 7-11
Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Dulichium Arundinaceum / Water Bamboo / Three Way Sedge
Dwarf Water Bamboo is not truly a bamboo but a sedge. It has a similar appearance to bamboo. Make a wonderful bog or pond plant.
Height: 18-24"
Hardiness: USDA zone 5-11
Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Equisetum scorpoides / Dwarf Horsetail
Needle-like , segmented, deep green foliage. Spreads rapidly over moist soil. Attractive evergreen in most areas.
Height: 6" - 10"
Hardiness: USDA Zone 2
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Hedychium coronarium / Hardy White Butterfly Ginger
Clusters of small, three-petaled, white blooms. Laced with rich honeysucle-like fragrance. Leaves are long, slender, and pointed.
Height: 4' - 6'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 7
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Bloom: Summer
Houttuynia cordata variegata / Chameleon Plant
Heart-shaped leaves with swatches of red, green, and creamy white. Small white flowers create a stunning accent.
Height: 1' - 1.5'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 5
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Bloom: Summer
Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides / Crystal Confetti Pennywort
Forms dense carpet of scalloped, jade-green leaves that are edged in cream.
Height: 1" - 2"
Hardiness: USDA Zone 6
Exposure: Full Sun
Iris Louisiana - Mixed Varieties
Popular among beardless species for their variation in form and broad color range. Group plantings yield best effect.
Height: 1' - 4'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 6
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Bloom: Spring
Iris louisiana `Black Gamecock' / Black Gamecock Iris
Deep blue-black falls with purple standards showcase golden signals. Consistently one of our best sellers, order early.
Height: 1' - 2'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 5
Exposure: Full Sun
Bloom: Spring
Iris versicolor / Versicolor Blue Iris
Narrow, gray-green leaves. Falls are slate blue with variable yellow blotching at the base.
Height: 1' - 3'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 4
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Bloom: Spring
Juncus effusus / Soft Rush
Tubular stems of bright green accented with golden brown seed heads in summer. Excellent for stabilizing banks. Evergreen in milder climates.
Height: 2' - 3'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 3
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Juncus inflexus 'Afro' / Blue Medusa Corkscrew Rush
A compact cultivator that grows in small clumps featuring powdery blue, spiraled leaves.
Height: 18"
Hardiness: USDA Zone 4-9
Exposure: Full sun
Juncus effusus `Gold Strike' / Gold Strike Rush
A plant that lives up to it's name. Fantastic yellow and green stripes run the full length of every stalk.
Height: 2' - 3'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 3
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Juncus effusus 'Spiralis' / Corkscrew Rush
Curiously contorted in ringlets of dark green, needle-like foliage. Evergreen in milder climates.
Height: 1.5'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 3
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Juncus patens / Blue Spreading Rush
Slender, hollow stems much admired for their distinctive blue-green color. Provides unique contrast year round.
Height: 1' - 2'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 3
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Lobelia fulgens 'Queen Victoria' / Queen Victoria Lobelia
Rich burgundy foliage provides interest all season. Stalks of striking red flowers appear in late summer.
Height: 2' - 3'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 7
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Bloom: Summer
Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' / Golden Creeping Jenny
Yellow flowers on top of golden yellow leaves. Perfect for sun or shade.
Height: 6"
Hardiness: USDA Zone 4
Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
Bloom: Summer
Marsilea mutica / Water Clover - Floating Leaf
Hardy four leaf clover floats on the water's surface. Prolific grower, not recommended for natural ponds.
Hardiness: USDA Zone 6
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Can not be shipped to OK.
Menyanthes trifoliata / Bogbean
Attractive foliage and white flowers. Spreads as runners across the water surface.
Height: 4" - 6"
Hardiness: USDA Zone 5
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Bloom: Spring
Myosotis scorpioides / Blue Water Forget-Me-Not
Hardy water plant resembling the common garden variety. Creeping groundcover with small blue flowers.
Height: 1'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 4
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Bloom: Spring - Summer
Oenanthe javanica 'Flamingo' / Variegated Water Celery
Foliage has outstanding array of colors including pink, green, and white. The pink tends to intensify in the spring and fall.
Height: 10"
Hardiness: USDA Zone 6
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Physostegia virginiana / Obedient Plant
Obedient Plant has another common name - False Dragonhead.
Height: 2'-4'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 3-10
Exposure: Full Sun
Bloom: Late Summer to Fall
Pontaderia cordata / Purple Pickerelweed
Shiny, deep green, lance-shaped leaves. Numerous flower spikes densely packed with deep blue petals. Don't allow crown to freeze in winter.
Height: 2'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 3
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Bloom: Spring - Fall
Saururus cernuus / Lizard's Tail
Deep green, heart-shaped leaves. Gracefully arching spikes of tiny white flowers nod above foliage.
Height: 3' - 4'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 4
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Bloom: Summer
Scirpus cernuus / Fiber Optics Rush
Fine textured lime green blades with cream colored buds in early spring. Prefers moist conditions, but will take up to 1" of water over it's crown. Height: 12"
Hardiness: USDA Zone 7
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Bloom: Spring
Thalia dealbata / Hardy Water Canna
Purple flowers clustered in bracts on top of tall graceful stems. Large blue-green leaves. Do not allow crown of plant to freeze in winter.
Height: 5' - 7'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 6
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Bloom: Summer
Tulbahlia violacea / Society Garlic
Beautiful, ornamental plant for the water garden. Long, thin foliage with clusters of lavender-pink flowers that bloom summer to fall.
Height: 18"-36"
Hardiness: USDA Zone 7-10
Exposure: Full Sun
Tulbahlia violacea  'Variegata/ Varigated Society Garlic
Beautiful, ornamental plant for the water garden. Long, thin foliage with clusters of lavender-pink flowers that bloom summer to fall.
Height: 12"-24"
Hardiness: USDA Zone 7-10
Exposure: Full Sun
Typha latifolia variegata / Variegated Cattail
Captivating green and white striped leaves. Cinnamon brown cattails create a stunning accent. Slower growth than other varieties.
Height: 5' - 6'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 6
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Typha minima / Miniature Cattail
Unusually small variety with fine, blue-green leaves. Unique rounded cattails are 1" long. Good marginal plant for smaller ponds.
Height: 1' - 2'
Hardiness: USDA Zone 3
Exposure: Full / Part Sun
Bloom: Summer
Zephyranthes candida / Rain Lily
Spiky dark green leaves with open, white, seven petaled crocus like flowers with yellow stamens. Makes nice cut flower.
Height: 8" - 10"
Hardiness: USDA Zone 6
Exposure: Full Sun
Bloom: Spring - Summer