Aquatic Plants That Purify Water

Many varieties of plants thrive in very wet sites, but are still defined as "terrestrial," or land, plants Aquatic plants are those that have adapted to grow entirely in water. Their roots either grow in soil submerged in water or on the water's surface. Nearly all the aquatic plants remove nitrates, which are associated with decay, to help purify water.

Anacharis (Egeria densa)

Anacharis is a submerged water plant and is also known as elodea or Brazilian waterweed. It is an oxygenating plant and its main role is to provide oxygen absorb all those nutrients that create algae in the water and make it murky. The plant is a small, fern-like leafy perennial with white flowers at the ends of its thin stems. Anacharis can also be grown in fish tanks, ponds or barrel gardens. They are easy to grow, do not require fertilizer and like to be placed in areas of water receiving full sun. They are usual sold in bunches of stems. Plant by pressing them into containers of soil before placing them in ponds or barrel gardens that do not have sandy bottoms.

Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia)

The water hyacinth is a floating aquatic plant with attractive foliage and spires of orchid-like flowers. Its main purpose is for purification and the plant is often referred to as the "cleanup crew" of water. It grows rapidly and is specifically used in polluted water for its ability to remove pollutants, including sewage, from the water. Many countries use it to clean up waste matter from tanneries, paper mills and from factories producing rubber, photographic chemicals, explosives, and palm oil. The plants also clean out heavy metals from the water as well as chemicals such as chlorine, sodium, cyanide, sulphur, phosphates, ammonia and nitrates.

Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes)

The water lettuce has water clean-up properties that closely match the water hyacinth. Botanical name Pistia stratiotes, water lettuce is a floating plant that has bunches of foliage rosettes that resemble loose, 4-inch lettuce heads. The trailing roots of the plant hang several inches below water surface. Water lettuce is also used as a high-level water purification plant given its readiness in absorbing metals, including mercury. However its capacity to absorb nitrates is lower than that of the water hyacinth.