14 Evergreen Pond Plants (Top Species)

In temperate zones, only a handful of hardy pond plants are able to provide vertical dimension, emergent structure, and ample coverage for fauna all throughout the year. Many fast-growing perennials may die back during winter months as cool temperatures force their root systems to enter a period of dormancy. The loss of floating and border plants can drastically change the appearance of a garden pond. It can also increase the susceptibility of its living inhabitants to predators.

A wildlife or ornamental pond with year-round vegetation provides a wealth of ecological services to both rural and developed landscapes. As a reliable and structurally diverse form of refuge, evergreen aquatic plant communities can sustain the nutritional requirements of herbivorous fish, amphibians, birds, and reptiles. Moreover, their aesthetic appeal – in the form of their unfailingly present foliage – can make your pond a year-round focal point for garden strolls and family gatherings.

When selecting plants for your pond, it’s important to remember that although some species may be evergreen in tropical to subtropical locations, they may be deciduous in temperate regions. The key to finding the right species for your area would be to pay close attention to their hardiness zones. For seasonal flare, grow them alongside flowering deciduous plants.

1) Hard rush (Juncus inflexus)

Hard rush is a common, flowering perennial in marshlands. This member of the Juncaceae family is hardy to USDA zones 4 – 9. Its well-established stands can continue to grow in temperatures that dip to around 25 – 35˚F (-4 to 1.7˚C). In temperate zones with winter temperatures that stay above this range, its stems may remain evergreen. Do note that in northern regions with harsher winters, its stems are likely to be semi-evergreen or deciduous.

Best cultivated in boggy, brightly lit locations, such as along the edges of an outdoor water feature, hard rush is distinguished by its textural tufts of bluish to greyish-green stems. These tend to be more dense above soils with neutral to slightly alkaline pH levels. Able to grow to a maximum height of about 3.3 feet (1 meter), the upright stems are borne on self-spreading networks of rhizomes. Clusters of tiny, apical blooms, which later develop into seed capsules, appear from spring to late summer.

2) Water hawthorn (Aponogeton distachyos)

Also known as Cape-pondweed, the water hawthorn is a flowering perennial. With a preference for moist or submerged locations, its water-loving leaves are anchored by tuberous rhizomes. These naturally spread through fertile substrates along the benthic zones of relatively shallow waterbodies. They gradually send out petioles or leaf stalks, which elongate to a full length of around 40 inches (102 cm), and seasonal emergent blooms. Arising from the tip of each petiole is a slender, oval-shaped leaf with mottled, reddish-green hues.

In regions with mild climates, the water hawthorn’s leaves can remain evergreen. In its native habitats, which tend to dry out in summer, they die back as their root systems enter a dormant period. In partial to subtropical and temperate zones, this species can tolerate winter temperatures that dip to -10˚F (-23˚C). In still waters that remain favorably cool throughout the year, it can prove to be a prolific and low-maintenance floating plant.

3) Rough horsetail (Equisetum hyemale)

The quintessential wetland plant for an evergreen pond border, rough horsetail is hardy and tough. This vascular herb is characterized by stiff, upright, and hollow stalks. These non-branching stems can grow to a full height of about 5 feet (1.5 meters). As they remain deep green all throughout the year in regions with mild winters, they are a fine choice for adding vertical complexity to wildlife ponds in hardiness zones 4 – 9.

Small animals can easily seek shelter and hide from potential predators in dense colonies of rough horsetail. The segmented stalks grow so close to one another that they can even be used to create a low-growing, natural screen or fence. The distinct joints, which are each encased in a markedly reduced leaf sheath, are a defining feature of this highly productive, reed-like fern.

4) Cotton grass (Eriophorum angustifolium)

Named for the cotton-like tufts of its eye-catching flower heads, this perennial sedge is typically found in peatlands, bogs, acid fens, ditches, and shallow pools. Its rhizomatous root system favors river and pond shorelines with slightly acidic to slightly basic pH levels. In these zones, the flood-tolerant roots aid in stabilizing loose substrates, including both sandy and clay-based types.

Hardy to USDA zones 4 – 8, cotton grass can be grown as an evergreen ornamental around wildlife ponds and rain gardens. It does have a knack for spreading vigorously via vegetative and sexual means, so it may require more maintenance than slow-growing grasses. Its floral stalks may need to be removed by manual means before their seeds are windblown into other moisture-retentive zones of the garden. Additionally, the aggressive roots may need to be divided every few years.

5) Drooping sedge (Carex pendula)

This evergreen member of the Cyperaceae family is extremely prolific due to its capacity to produce thousands of seeds each year. Commonly found in riparian zones, wetlands, ditches, and frequently dampened roadsides, it can quickly spread in nutrient-rich soils. Despite its status as a noxious weed in some locations, it continues to be cultivated as an ornamental grass. Horticulturists tend to value the year-round visual and ecological benefits provided by its well-maintained stands.

Mature drooping sedge specimens can be quite impressive as their tufts grow to a maximum height of about 6 feet (1.8 meters). Their lengthy, yellowish-green leaves are gracefully arched, providing dappled shade to adjacent, low-growing herbs. When situated along the edges of a wildlife pond, this species would definitely aid in the covert entry and exit of semi-aquatic critters.

6) Brooklime (Veronica beccabunga)

Brooklime is also commonly known as European speedwell, horse cress, and water pimpernel. This evergreen perennial herb maintains an emergent growth habit along the muddy borders of lakes, ponds, brooks, and rivers. Though its root system thrives best in cool and consistently wet zones, it may also spread into terrestrial zones close to sloping banks. Known for being resilient in the face of natural disturbances, it can form extensive clonal stands.

Hardy to USDA zones 5 – 11, brooklime produces fleshy, bitter leaves which may persist all throughout the year in regions with warm winters. In summer, these are complemented by sprays of spritely, bright-blue blooms with distinctly white centers. As the inflorescences are known for attracting butterflies, their presence may help improve pollination rates around wildlife ponds and bog gardens.

7) Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum)

Hornwort or coontail is known for being a valuable oxygenating hydrophyte in habitats where its spread is naturally controlled. This submerged, occasionally free-floating herb is distinguished by its highly textural and lengthy stems. Seemingly ever-growing, the stems can maintain an upright orientation in depths of up to 10 feet (3 meters). Evenly-spaced whorls of thread-like leaves occur throughout their full length.

In temperate zones, hornwort can typically survive through moderately cool temperatures in adequately deep outdoor ponds. Its stems are likely to lose their fair share of leaves, but they seldom die back completely – even in water temperatures that dip to -2˚C (28˚F). Aquatic wildlife can reliably seek cover and protection from their vertical stems, especially once the more cold-sensitive species of submerged plants have died back.

8) White water-crowfoot (Ranunculus aquatilis)

Another submerged perennial with many ecological uses as an evergreen pond plant, the white water-crowfoot is low-maintenance, cold-hardy, and distinctly robust. Small yet surprisingly tough, this aquatic herb grows to a maximum height of 3.3 feet (1 meter) in slow-moving bodies of freshwater. It typically grows in sunlit margins, where its stems elongate in an outward manner and remain mostly submerged. These bear clusters of thread-like, underwater leaves that last throughout the year in hardiness zones 4 – 8.

The most eye-catching feature of the white water-crowfoot can be spotted from April to September. This comes in the form of its charmingly petite, emergent flowers. These rise up to just 2 inches (5 cm) above the water’s surface, beckoning bees, moths, and flies to come close. Once they are pollinated, they develop into clusters of nutlets. It’s important to note that this species contains toxins and should be handled with caution.

9) Yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus)

The yellow flag iris can persist as an evergreen marginal plant in regions with fairly warm winter conditions. Cool temperatures can make it lose some of its leaves, whereas harsh winters cause its entire shoot to die back. Come spring, new growths should quickly appear and develop into vibrant stems with sword-shaped leaves. As the clumps of stems may boast a height of up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall, they can significantly enhance the visual impact of a garden pond.

Often grown in groups of 6 – 8 plants along the edges of water features, the yellow flag iris can quickly become naturalized and will self-spread to form dense thickets over rich substrates. Its highest rates of bloom production are usually observed in areas with full sun exposure and constant moisture. As the emergent stems can tolerate depths of up to 12 feet (3.7 meters), their submerged portions can serve as a protective maze for juvenile fish and amphibians.

10) Common frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae)

The common frogbit favors water temperatures between 59 – 77˚F (15 – 25˚C), but its turions do tolerate winter lows of up to -18˚F (-28˚C). In mild winters, through which this free-floating plant does not become coated with frost or ice, its foliage can remain evergreen. In markedly cool conditions, it enters a period of dormancy. Once temperatures begin to rise once more, it can quickly spread via stoloniferous growth to create dense, floating mats of vegetation.

Introduced into Canada as an ornamental plant in the 1930s, the common frogbit escaped cultivation and eventually invaded wetlands in states surrounding the Great Lakes. It favors slow-moving and calcium-rich waters, where its waterlily-like leaves can rest on the surface. Their roots remain suspended in the water column, creating microhabitats for a wealth of microscopic wildlife.

11) Dwarf hairgrass (Eleocharis acicularis)

Often sold as an ornamental plant for micropropagation in aquascapes, E. acicularis is a low-growing perennial with needle-like foliage. As suggested by its common name, a dwarf hairgrass carpet may look like the miniature, aquatic counterpart of lawn turf. Its shade-intolerant stems last all throughout the year and may maintain their green pigmentation in cool waters. Do note, however, that the stems may become brown in summer, especially if they are exposed to direct sun in shallow water.

Hardy to USDA zones 3 – 9, this spike-sedge can spread on its own via a network of creeping rhizomes. The soft mats created by its stems are usually great spots for fish egg-laying. Its submerged features can aid in oxygenating ponds, improving water quality by accumulating excess nutrients, and providing a greater surface area for the growth of beneficial microbes.

12) Mare’s tail (Hippuris vulgaris)

Mare’s tail can be grown as an emergent or submersed aquatic plant. Hardy to USDA zones 3 – 8, it makes for an attractive marginal herb around ponds in temperate locations. As it is evergreen, its stems are usually able to retain some of their leaves through winter. That being said, it’s important to keep in mind that this species tends to escape cultivation and can form troublesome colonies in the wild. In warm zones, these are likely to compete with native plants and impede the flow of water.

When its creeping roots are bound by mesh or are restricted to within a pot, this cold-hardy species can prove to be a beneficial, year-round pond plant. Its bottlebrush-like stems can look quite elegant along the edges of still waters. As long as they have access to sunlight, the whorls of leaves are able to survive in depths of up to 10 feet (3 meters). Their submersed carpets can support the basic needs of many benthic macroinvertebrates.

13) Fiber optic plant (Isolepis cernua)

A notable member of the Cyperaceae or sedge family, the fiber optic plant is known for thriving in moist habitats, such as bogs, marshes, and the borders of freshwater bodies. It can also survive in brackish environments and interdunal wetlands. Evergreen or semi-evergreen, depending on climate conditions, it is hardy to USDA zones 8 – 11. In regions with warm and frost-free winters, it retains its most well-developed stems and leaves. In regions with markedly cool winters, it may need to be overwintered indoors or cultivated as an annual.

Fast-growing and fairly easy to propagate, this species is set apart by its clumps of hair-like foliage. As the tips of fertile stems bear tiny white blooms, they collectively resemble the appearance of a fiber optic lamp. This plant can be grown as an emergent hydrophyte at depths of up to 4 inches (10 cm). It should help oxygenate the marginal zones of garden ponds, where visiting wildlife and juvenile fish are likely to search for food and seek protection from potential predators.

14) Pond water-starwort (Callitriche stagnalis)

A prolific aquatic plant in slow-moving and still waters, C. stagnalis is found in both fresh and brackish environments. It has submerged and floating leaves borne on stems that grow to around 12 inches (30.5 cm) long. These usually make their way to the water’s surface, where they may branch out and sprawl to create a thick carpet of small leaves. In the absence of competing plants, the foliage of clonal growths may eventually be dense enough to block out light and air.

Pond water-starwort now has established colonies outside of its native range. Popularized as an aquatic plant, it has a knack for readily escaping cultivation. Its loosely rooted stems and leaves can cling to the fur and feathers of semi-aquatic wildlife. Birds, frogs, and muskrats, for example, can inadvertently serve as vectors of this cold-hardy perennial’s spread.