Vallisneria Pond Plant - Care & Grow Guide
by Tory Jon | Last Updated: November 16, 2022
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Vallisneria, commonly referred to as eelgrass or wild celery, is a pond plant with ribbon-like leaves that grow up to 3 feet long!
This popular and easy-to-find pond plant is an excellent oxygenator and will help consume nutrients that would otherwise fuel algae growth.
It's also one of the easiest pond plants to maintain, with no winter maintenance required and only a little trimming if it grows beyond the desired length.
Invasive Potential: Low. Vallisneria is a genus, not one confirmed species on this page. Common names like eelgrass, tape grass, and wild celery may refer to native or nonnative species depending on the plant and location.
Confirm the botanical name before purchase, prefer regionally appropriate species, and keep aquarium-grown plants contained if your pond can overflow. Use USDA aquatic invasive plant guidance as a starting point and confirm current requirements with your state agriculture or natural resources agency. Never release unwanted pond plants, roots, seeds, rhizomes, or trimmings into lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, drainage ditches, storm drains, or natural ponds.
Scientific Name
Varies by species; pond trade plants may be Vallisneria americana, Vallisneria spiralis, or another Vallisneria species
Invasive Potential
Low
Common Names
Eelgrass, tape grass, wild celery, water celery
Plant Type
Submerged pond plant
Light Requirements
Full sun to partial shade
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zone 4 - 10
Bloom
July through September
Grow Up To
36 inches
Flower Color
White
How to Plant Vallisneria in a Pond
For best results, plant Vallisneria in a container with a sandy/soil substrate and place it at least 12 inches deep in your pond. You can place the container up to 6 feet deep if your pond water is clear and the plant receives ample sunlight. Alternatively, you can anchor the plant directly into the substrate at the bottom of your pond.
Vallisneria Care Guide
Vallisneria is extremely easy to take care of, only requiring regular trimming of the stolons to keep it at your desired size. Be sure to remove and properly discard any clippings away from the water so they don't decompose in your pond and potentially cause water quality issues.
Vallisneria can be left in the pond over winter, as it will simply die down to the tubers and grow back in Spring.
Responsible Disposal
Never release vallisneria plants, roots, seeds, rhizomes, or trimmings into lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, drainage ditches, storm drains, or natural ponds. Do not dump pond or aquarium water containing plant fragments into natural waterways.
Vallisneria spreads by runners and plant fragments. Dry and bag stolons, crowns, and trimmings, and do not release aquarium or pond water with loose pieces.
Vallisneria Care Card
Download our free printable care card for Vallisneria! Click the care card below and save the PDF file to your computer. You can easily print off the 3x5 care card or access it right from your phone.
Pond Plant Care Card Set
Get the full printable set of 23 pond plant care cards in one PDF. The cards are formatted for quick reference on your phone or easy 3x5 printing.
