Ornatec InternationalSpecies reference sheet ยท ornatecinternational.com
Alisma plantago-aquatica
Water Plantain
Alisma plantago-aquatica, the Water Plantain, is a herbaceous marginal aquatic that sends a rosette of ribbed, spear-shaped leaves clear of the water on long stalks, then throws up an airy pyramid of tiny white to blush-pink flowers through summer. It dies back to the rootstock in winter and returns readily in spring.
It is a workhorse of constructed wetlands and naturalistic pond edges, valued as much for nutrient uptake as for the light, see-through quality of its flower head.
Specifications
- Height0.5 to 1 metre in flower
- Width0.4 to 0.6 metres
- Native toTemperate Europe, Asia and North Africa
- FoliageOval to lance-shaped, strongly ribbed bright green leaves on long stalks held above the water; herbaceous, dying back over winter
- Growth rateModerate
Conditions
- SoilGrows in heavy loam or pond mud, in saturated ground or shallow water to about 0.25 metres deep
- LightFull sun to partial shade
- WaterHigh; grown permanently in saturated soil or standing water
- ClimateThrives in temperate and warm temperate regions; frost hardy and reshoots from the rootstock
Additional Features
- FlowersTall, branching, pyramidal panicles of small white to pale pink flowers through summer
- UsesIdeal for pond and lake margins, constructed wetlands, biofiltration beds and naturalistic water features
- SpacingPlant 0.3 to 0.5 metres apart along a margin
- Low MaintenanceRemove spent flower stems before seed sets to limit self-sowing; divide congested clumps
- Pest ResistanceGenerally trouble free
- Environmental BenefitsTakes up nutrients from the water column and helps stabilise soft pond margins
- Wildlife AttractionFoliage and stems give cover to aquatic insects and amphibians
Water Plantain is a quiet, functional plant that earns its place at the water's edge through nutrient stripping as much as through its summer flower.
Availability by project review. Sizes, quantities, origin and export readiness are confirmed after your plant schedule is reviewed against destination, timing and quarantine requirements. MEWA certified for supply into Saudi Arabia; Australian Export Registered Establishment.
Enquiries: sales@ornatecinternational.com
310 Donkin Rd, Utchee Creek QLD 4871, Australia
Prepared 08 September 2026