The Frog Attracting Pond starter pack is an ideal group of plants to encourage frogs to come to your pond. They are tall, provide cover, and encourage beneficial insects to the pond that frogs will greedily feed on. The smaller pond plants offer support to emerging tadpoles while providing a habitat for spawning to occur.
The Frog Attracting Starter Kit includes:
1 x Dwarf papyrus
1 x Gardeners Garters
1 x Water Iris
1 x Water Grass
2 x Variegated Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus variegated)
Dwarf Papyrus
Perennial
Position: Part shade (shade-tolerant) to full sun
Flowers: Green Seed spike
Submersible: To a depth of 5cm
Height: To 60cm
Foliage: Produces foliage above the water line
Origin: Africa
Cover: Provides shelter and cover for frogs
Oxygenator: No
Dwarf Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus nana) is one of the classic pond plants. It is a perennial plant that grows best in sunny damp conditions but will tolerate water to a depth of 5cm over the base of the plant. Dwarf Papyrus can grow to 60cm high and forms clumps that slowly increase in volume via rhizomes that spread along boggy areas of the pond or in a pot. Its tight-clumping nature makes it ideal as a plant for attracting frogs to your pond. It is always best to plant Dwarf Papyrus in a pot as they are difficult to remove once established in a pond. They produce a star shaped seed head and can be grown from seed as well as via division.
Gardeners Garters
Perennial plant
Position - Part shade
Flowers - small seed spike
Submersible - To a depth of 5cm (remove tall foliage when using with a ring)Foliage -
Produced above water
Origin - Northern Africa (including Egypt and Nigeria)
Grows - to 60cm (width) and 100cm (high)
Cover - Excellent cover for frogs
Oxygenator - No
Edible - No
Gardeners GartersPhalaris arundinacea is a tall spreading grass with green-and-white-striped foliage and it also forms a narrow pale green flower. Its tall clumping nature encourages insects making it an excellent plant for attracting frogs to your pond. It’s a real all-rounder in water gardens as it will tolerate full sun through to dappled shade. It looks its best when grown on mass and due to its quick-growing nature, it can be divided up into multiple plants throughout the warmer months.
The variegated leaf makes for an excellent contrast plant in any pond.
Water Iris
Perennial plant
Size: 30cm to 1 mtr tall
Position: Full sun to part shade but flowers best in full sun
Flowers: Yes Light Blue in colour
Submersible: Yes to a depth of 10cm
Foliage: Produces Foliage above the water
Origin: Native to the US
Cover: Great habitat for frogs
Oxygenator: No
In a water garden, Iris provides height and definition and although they only flower once a year, it’s well worth the wait. Frogs love Water Iris in a water garden, as they provide shelter from predators in the pond. They can easily be propagated via division and depending on the size of the pot will need dividing on a yearly basis.
Water Grass
Position: Part shade (shade-tolerant) to full sun
Flowers: No
Submersible: To a depth of 10cm
Foliage: Grows like a Mat on the surface
Origin: Native to Australia
Cover: Great mat cover plant when grown with a floating ring
Oxygenator: No
A fantastic Australian Native plant the Water Grass or Lilaeopsis brisbanica is a low growing (mat forming) water plant. Wonderful for bringing lush green grass looking leaves to any pond. Able to live in water to a depth of 10cm deep, Lilaeopsis brisbanica (Water Grass) is perfect for shallow ponds and ponds that receive full sun to part shade throughout the day.
This plant provides shelter and food for small fish, frogs, and other aquatic creatures, attracting a diverse range of wildlife to your pond. It is a key plant in frog ponds as it provides habitat and shelter for tadpoles and during spawning times.
If you are looking for a beautiful green native plant to bring a nice hue of colour to your pond then the Lilaeopsis brisbanica (Water Grass) is a must!
Learn more here: The Beauty of Brisbane Water Grass: A Low-Maintenance Australian Native for Your Pond
Variegated Sweet Flag (Acorus calamus variegated)
Origin: East Asia
Type: Perennial
Position: Full sun - part shade
Height: up to 30cm
Width: up to 30cm
Depth in the pond: Prefers shallow water to 5cm
This variegated form of sweet flag is a stunning choice for pond margins or to grow and float anywhere in the unique pond plant floating ring. It is also an excellent pond plant for frog habitat as it is cold hardy and tolerant of regions in Australia that experience harsh winters. In the cooler months, our frog populations need habitat to provide support against frog chytrid fungus, which has higher mortality in winter.
It grows well as a bog plant filtering impurities from pond water.
