Native Plants

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Friday - March 27, 2009

From: Grand Junction, CO
Region: Rocky Mountain
Topic: Water Gardens
Title: Pond plants that ducks will NOT eat
Answered by: Nan Hampton

QUESTION:

What kind of pond plants are there that ducks will NOT eat?

ANSWER:

Well, I am sure that there are some pond plants that ducks won't eat, but I don't know specific ones. I do know, however, that ducks really like young and tender plants to eat; so, if you can protect your plants in enclosures until they are more mature, the ducks are not as likely to be able to completely destroy them. Another strategy is to overwhelm them with plants, especially grasses, rushes and sedges—that way the more ornamental plants might have a chance of surviving. Here is a link to an article, Plants for Ponds and Pens, from the British Waterfowl Association with suggestions on ways to maintain plants for ducks. By the way, you are not the first person to be frustrated with trying to maintain plants in the presence of ducks. Please see the answer to another recent question about ducks and plants.

Here are some suggestions for grasses or grasslike plants for ponds or their edges that grow in or adjacent to Mesa County, Colorado:

Carex vulpinoidea (fox sedge)

Deschampsia cespitosa (Tufted hairgrass)

Eleocharis montevidensis (sand spikerush)

Eleocharis palustris (common spikerush) and here are photos

Juncus torreyi (Torrey's rush)

Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (softstem bulrush)