Shade Tolerant Pond Plants

Not every pond sits in full sun. If yours is under trees, beside the house or gets only a few hours of light, our shade tolerant pond plants will still grow and flower well.

What grows in shade?

For the edges, try Creeping Jenny and Creeping Jenny Lime for bright, trailing foliage, Lizard's Tail and Goddess Lily for flowers, and Taro for big, lush leaves. Water mints, Gotu Kola, Gardener's Garters, Golden Sweet Flag, Frog Grass and Dwarf Papyrus also cope well with part shade.

Under the water, oxygenators like Upright Water Milfoil, Pink Rotala, Water Hyssop, Water Wisteria and Brahmi keep working in lower light.

Tips for shady ponds

Most "shade tolerant" plants still need some light, so aim for at least a few hours of sun or bright, dappled light. Shady ponds often collect leaves, so a cover net in autumn helps keep the water clean. On the plus side, shade keeps water cooler and can mean less algae in summer.

Read our top 5 shade tolerant pond plants for more ideas.

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Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) with floating ring
Brahmi (Bacopa monnineri) pot with floating ring (12cm)
Brahmi (Bacopa Monnieri) Pond Plant with floating ring

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Water Hyssop (Bacopa caroliniana) with floating ring
Water Hyssop Bacopa caroliniana pond plant with blue flowers
Water Hyssop (Bacopa caroliniana) pond plant

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Upright Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum crispatum)with floating ring
Upright Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum crispatum) 12cm pot and floating ring
Upright Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum crispatum) pond plant

Upright Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum crispatum)with floating ring

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Pink Rotala (Rotala rotundifolia) with floating ring
Pink Rotala (Rotala roundifolia) 12cm pot and floating ring
Pink Rotala (Rotala roundifolia) 12cm pot and floating ring

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Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia aurea) with floating ring
Creeping Jenny Lysimachia aurea pond plant with golden foliage
Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia aurea) pot with floating ring (12cm)

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Dwarf Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus nana) pot with floating ring
Dwarf Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus nana) pond plant
Dwarf Papyrus pond plant

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Lebanese Cress (Aethionema Cordifolium) with floating ring
Lebanese Cress (Aethionema Coridifolium) pot with floating ring (12cm)
Lebanese Cress (Aethionema Cordifolium) Pond Plant with floating ring

Lebanese Cress (Aethionema Cordifolium) with floating ring

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Frog Grass (Carex fascicularis) with floating ring
Frog Grass (Carex fascicularis) pond plant with floating ring. Great frog habitat in ponds and water gardens
Frog Grass (Carex fascicularis) pond plant

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Nardoo (Marsilea Angustifolia) with floating ring
Nardoo (Marsilea angustifolia) pond plant
Nardoo four-leaf clover foliage

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Taro Illustris (Colocasia Esculenta) pot with floating ring
Taro Illustris (Colocasia esculenta) pond plant
Taro Illustris dark-marked leaves

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Chocolate Water Mint (Mentha × piperita f. citrata) with floating pond ring
Chocolate Water Mint pond plant
Chocolate Water Mint pond plant

Chocolate Water Mint (Mentha × piperita f. citrata) with floating pond ring

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Pond Plantz time release pond plant fertiliser
Make sure you feed your pond plants monthly between September & March.
Don't Forget to Feed!
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Fine Leaf Water Mint (Mentha cervina) with floating ring
Fine Leaf Water Mint (Mentha cevina) Pond Plant with floating ring
Fine Leaf Water Mint (Mentha cervina) pond plant

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Needle Leaf Ludwigia (Ludwigia arcuata) with floating ring
Needle Leaf Ludwigia (Ludwigia acruata) pot with floating ring
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Gardners Garters (Phalaris arundinacea) with floating ring
Gardners Garters (Phalaris arundinacea) pot with floating ring (12cm)
Gardners Garters (Phalaris arundinacea) pot with floating ring (12cm)

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Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) with floating ring
Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) pond plant
Gotu Kola pond plant

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Golden Sweet flag (Acorus gramineus ogon) with floating ring
Golden Sweet Flag (Acorus gramineus Ogon) pond plant
Golden Sweet Flag golden foliage

Golden Sweet flag (Acorus gramineus ogon) with floating ring

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Creeping Jenny Lime (Lysimachia nummularia) 7cm pot with floating ring ( Rare form)
Creeping Jenny Lime (Lysimachia nummularia) pond plant
Creeping Jenny Lime pond plant

Creeping Jenny Lime (Lysimachia nummularia) 7cm pot with floating ring ( Rare form)

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Water Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis) with floating ring
Water Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis) aquatic plant
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Related Blog Posts

Grow It. Pick It. Eat It.

Grow It. Pick It. Eat It.

on May 04 2026
Turn your pond into a living pantry with easy-to-grow edible pond plants. From water mint and parsley to brahmi and Vietnamese water mint, discover how to grow, harvest, and enjoy fresh ingredients straight from your pond—while improving water quality at the same time.

How Do Pond Plants Get Sent?

Shipping

Yes, our pond plants are shippable! We ship every week day. Due to quarantine, we can't ship to WA or TAS.

Packed to Travel the Distance

Our plants are packed to stay in transit for weeks! Alternatively, you can click & collect from our retail outlet.

On Arrival

On arrival, your plants will be thirsty. Pop them into your pond as soon as possible..

Plant Guarantee

Shop with confidence — backed by our 14-Day Thriving Guarantee

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