Water Irises are semi aquatic plants; often referred to as bog or marginal plants. As a colorful flowering plant, the water iris makes an attractive backdrop for any goldfish pond. When Planted in the shallow margins, the foliage keeps pond predators away. Water iris plants are known to be one of the best aquatic plants to remove toxins from the water. Yellow flag irises are often used in the sewage treatment process to assist in removing metals from the water. The larger the root structure, the more toxins that can be taken out of the water.
In the Fall, plant water iris plants in pond plant baskets that are wider than they are tall and at a depth of of up to 6 inches (15cm). This allows the roots of the water iris to spread out but still be confined to the pond plant basket. Roots not in a pond basket can spread like crazy making it harder to cut them back and potentially puncture a pond liner. In a goldfish pond that doesni’t contain a liner, water irises can be planted completely out of the water in the wet sandy loam banks of the pond. Some species tolerate periods of dryness but typically prefer to have moist to wet soil year around. Place these plants in areas where they receive at least half to full sun. Fertilize regularly throughout the growing and blooming season.
Irises are some of the most popular of bog plants. The foliage is attractive makes a good backdrop or as a companion to some of the other plants in the bog. The flowers have an eye-catching appeal, being among some of the the most exotic flowers in the pond. They are also great as filtering agents in ponds and can be grown in any moist area. This Iris can be planted along the edge of the pond or directly in the water itself. After established as small plants, they should be planted in shallow water in a container that is wider than it is deep, A bulb pan or shallow nursery container works great. This way, the plant can spread out and is not as likely to become pot-bound as it would be if it were planted in a tall, narrow container. Iris pseudacorus do best if cut back and thinned out every two years and the dead leaves should not be allowed to accumulate.
One of the simplest alternatives for high water gardener is to stick with high water plants. The best and most colorful of these are irises.The mythological Iris was goddess of the rainbow, so it's no surprise to find her name on these perennials with an incredible range of flower color. Some species of iris are valuable high water problem solvers. These are actually semiaquatic, and although they can live in dry soil, they thrive in saturated, poorly drained conditions. Most will grow far larger in wet ground than in drier soil.
