Hornwort Vs Anacharis

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So ready for spring although its still months away...

I worked hard this past summer on my marginal plants and this go around I want to get the oxygenators going. My question is which to put in Hornwort or Anacharis? Biggest this is I want to be able to keep it over the winter, which looking at Colleen's winter updates I know the Hornwort can survive, does the Anacharis survive the cold? (Zone 5). Anyone else have suggest another winter hardy oxygenator? I like variety but don't want too much.
 

j.w

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I think the Hornwort survives better but mine is trying to stay alive here but not because of the cold. I think I need more to start w/and I still see it down there and it could be hidden. I also pulled out a big bush around the pond so it should get more sunlight now. I know the goldfish eat the Anacharis faster than I can throw it in. So to me the better choice is Hornwort. I love the way @callingcolleen1 looks in her pond.
 

addy1

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Anacharis lives fine over winter, mine freezes almost solid and comes back, the hornwort does the same. The fish do eat up the anacharis. But I also do have some in the pond with the fish and it does fine.
 

JBtheExplorer

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I believe Parrots Feather is considered an oxygenator. I don't know much about it but I think I remember @addy1 saying hers froze in ice and came back, but I could be wrong. I also believe it is invasive here in Wisconsin which must mean it can handle the cold winters.
 
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I would say whichever you can get to grow. We struggle with both. Our fish love it and gobble it up faster than we can get it in the pond. This year I'm going to keep a supply growing in my patio pond - we'll see how that works!
 
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I love Colleens hornwort. I definitely plan to order some this spring.
 

addy1

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I believe Parrots Feather is considered an oxygenator. I don't know much about it but I think I remember @addy1 saying hers froze in ice

The green stem comes back every year, even after the miserable winter last year.

This year I'm going to keep a supply growing in my patio pond - we'll see how that works!

I keep one of my stream ponds and other small ponds full of the anacharis, it grows great filters great. I grab huge junks of it and toss it in the big pond. It is growing in the big pond, not as well as it grows in the small ponds.

I love Colleens hornwort. I definitely plan to order some this spring.
I got the hornwort after seeing it in Colleens pond, it does grow great, have some in both of our big ponds.
 
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Hornwort does well in my pond and my fish don't seem interested in eating it. One bad thing though is that if it is "unhappy" it drops its needles and makes a huge mess.

Anacharis does well too and will even bloom in the pond (little white flowers) I have never been able to get them to bloom indoors in an aquarium though. The fish do seem to enjoy eating it which I dont mind. If it is "unhappy" it basically turns to mush.
 
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Hornwort can be quite perty foliage plant in still waters, good predator cover for tiddlers, it is less tasty from a fish pov

Anacharis can survive hard freezing winters where it grows from deep waters, where it is frozen solid it will be destroyed and can cause a pollution problem if large masses go off at the same time

Regards, andy
https://www.gardenpondforum.com/media/users/adavisus.3206/
 

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addy1

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Strange, my anacharis is in shallow ponds, around 2 feet, 1 foot deep. Last winter those ponds froze up almost solid, the anacharis came back beautifully.
 
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Where anacharis (egeria densa) is repeatedly frozen, thawed it will be destroyed. Below the ice plate, the new shoots will spring back from where it rooted in. This plant makes simple roots and is easy to control on a pond

Elodea, A similar looking native variety often sold as anacharis has a tunneling rhisome habit, which is a very pesky plant to weed when it smothers waterlily positions...

Regards, andy
 

addy1

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Nice to know, I don't think mine tunnels, when I have pulled it, just small roots on the stems.
 

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