Selliera (Selliera Radicans) with 7cm floating ring

Australian Native | Perennial | White Flowers | Excellent Cover Plant

Selliera (Selliera radicans) is a beautiful Australian native water plant with small fleshy leaves and delicate white flowers. Its dense, mat-forming growth makes it an excellent choice for adding lush greenery and natural habitat to ponds, water bowls and wet areas.

Unlike many traditional pond plants, Selliera is best grown moist rather than permanently submerged. When placed in a floating pond plant ring, it can spread naturally across the water's surface while keeping its foliage above the water.

It is also particularly well suited to wet and flood-prone areas, making it a useful plant for gardens where the soil stays consistently damp.

Why Grow Selliera in Your Pond?

Selliera is a versatile native plant that combines attractive foliage with useful habitat value.

Its low-growing, mat-forming habit makes it ideal for creating a dense carpet of greenery, while its delicate white flowers add seasonal interest.

When grown in a floating pond plant ring, Selliera provides excellent cover close to the water's surface. Its dense foliage can create shelter for small fish, frogs and other pond life.

It can also be used around the edges of a pond or in naturally damp areas of the garden, where its spreading habit helps soften the transition between the pond and surrounding landscape.

Selliera Pond Plant Features

• Botanical name: Selliera radicans
• Common name: Selliera
• Plant type: Perennial water plant
• Origin: Australia
• Position: Part shade to full sun
• Flowers: Small white flowers
• Foliage: Small, fleshy leaves with upright growth
• Growth habit: Dense and mat forming
• Water requirements: Best kept moist rather than permanently submerged
• Cover: Excellent cover when grown in a floating pond plant ring
• Oxygenator: No
• Best suited to: Floating pond plant rings, pond margins, wet areas and flood-prone areas

Growing Selliera

Selliera is naturally suited to moist and wet environments, making it an excellent choice for water gardens and areas where other garden plants may struggle with consistently damp conditions.

For pond use, Selliera performs particularly well when grown in a floating pond plant ring. The ring keeps the plant at the water's surface while allowing its roots to remain moist and its foliage to grow above the water.

As it grows, Selliera can spread to form a dense mat, creating an attractive layer of low-growing vegetation around the pond.

Position

Selliera is adaptable and can be grown in part shade through to full sun.

It is a particularly useful choice for ponds and gardens where conditions change throughout the day.

In hotter climates, some afternoon shade can help prevent the foliage from drying out, while a sunny position can encourage strong growth and flowering.

The key to growing Selliera successfully is keeping the plant consistently moist, particularly when it is grown outside the pond environment.

Selliera's White Flowers

One of the most attractive features of Selliera is its delicate white flowers.

The small flowers stand out against the green foliage and provide a subtle splash of colour around the pond.

For a naturalistic water garden, combine Selliera with other Australian native pond plants, grasses, rushes and flowering marginals to create different layers of foliage and habitat.

Excellent Cover for Fish & Pond Life

Selliera's dense, mat-forming growth makes it an excellent cover plant for ponds.

When grown in a floating pond plant ring, the foliage spreads around the water's surface, creating shelter close to the top of the pond.

This can be particularly beneficial in wildlife ponds and ponds containing small fish, frogs and other aquatic creatures.

The dense foliage also adds structure to the pond environment, helping to create a more natural-looking habitat rather than leaving large areas of open water.

Selliera for Wet & Flood-Prone Areas

Selliera is especially useful for gardens with wet, boggy or flood-prone conditions.

Its natural preference for consistently moist environments makes it a great choice for areas where water collects or where the soil remains damp for extended periods.

Use it around ponds, bog gardens, drainage areas and other naturally wet parts of the garden where a low-growing native plant is needed.

Its spreading growth can also help soften the appearance of pond edges and create a more natural transition between water and garden.

Is Selliera an Oxygenating Plant?

Selliera is not an oxygenating pond plant.

Although it grows in association with water and contributes to the overall planted pond environment, it should not be relied upon to provide underwater oxygenation.

For a healthy, balanced pond, combine Selliera with dedicated oxygenating plants if you need additional underwater oxygen production.

Planting Selliera in Your Water Garden

Selliera is particularly well suited to:

• Floating pond plant rings
• Pond margins
• Wet garden areas
• Boggy areas
• Flood-prone areas
• Wildlife ponds
• Frog ponds
• Water bowls
• Creating low-growing pond cover

When using a floating pond plant ring, position the Selliera so that it remains moist with its foliage above the water. Allow the plant room to spread naturally as it establishes.

For a more diverse pond ecosystem, combine Selliera with taller marginal plants and dedicated oxygenators to create different levels of habitat.

Feeding Selliera

For healthy growth, Selliera benefits from nutrients available within its growing medium.

During the active growing season, a suitable slow-release aquatic fertiliser tablet can be used according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Avoid excessive fertilisation, particularly in smaller ponds, as excess nutrients can contribute to unwanted algae growth.

Add an Australian Native to Your Pond

Selliera is a fantastic choice if you're looking for an Australian native pond plant with attractive foliage, delicate white flowers and excellent cover value.

Its ability to thrive in moist conditions and its dense, mat-forming growth make it particularly useful for floating pond plant rings, pond margins, frog ponds and wet areas of the garden.

Add Selliera to your water garden for beautiful native greenery, delicate white flowers and valuable cover for pond life.