Parrot ’s featheris a versatile works for ponds andwater garden . It earned its moniker from its dim plumes of fine - texture foliage . Grow it underwater to oxygenate weewee , bring home the bacon fish a place to conceal , and reduce on algae . Or allow parrot ’s plumage ice-cream float on the body of water to provide tad . It can also be grown in wet soil at the water ’s edge , but guardianship must be taken outside of a control water garden to manage the works ’s invasive bedcover . Parrot ’s feather has both submerged and emergent foliage . The emergent staunch will settle down near the shoreline via rhizomes .
Where to Plant Parrot’s Feather
Its fine , almost ferny grain pull in parrot ’s feather a beautiful demarcation tolotus , piddle lily , and other big - leafwater - garden plants . It develop equally well in pool andcontainer pee garden .
implant parrot ’s plumage with Cyperus papyrus ; its upright growing habit front good with a carpet of low - farm parrot ’s feather at the base . Or send parrot ’s plumage near water supply lily ’s big , flat pads and attractive flower to contrast with the all right grain of parrot ’s plumage .
The plant life is especially useful for improving water calibre : It efficiently absorbs excess nutrients , ensuring water purity and help reduce the outgrowth of unsightly algae . Unfortunately , it ’s also valued by mosquitoes , who like to lay eggs around the works as it float in shallow piss .
Check local restriction before planting parrot ’s plume because it is considered an incursive species and is illegal to plant or spell in many states . It can reproduce rapidly in raw areas , clog waterways and crowding out native coinage .
How and When to Plant Parrot’s Feather
constitute parrot ’s plumage at water ’s edge , in container , or post them on the open of a pond in late spring after all danger of Robert Frost has passed . Plant rhizomes in a medium - size water garden container filled with heavy garden land or turn over a hole large enough to accomodate the roots and rhizome in a sunny spot in filth that remains moist at all times ( at the margins of waterways is best ) .
you may also bury the rhizomes in pea crushed rock at the bottom of a small pond as long as the inundate plant receives sizable sunshine .
Parrot’s Feather Care
Light
Parrot ’s feather raise fastest infull sun(6 to 8 hours of direct light per day ) , but it tolerates sites with only morning sun . The less sunshine it get , the slower it grows and the less efficiently it improve piss quality .
Soil and Water
Plant its soft rhizomes in heavy loam in pool bottoms or piddle garden container . It will rapidly rout and begin to spread . Its ability to root also makes parrot ’s feathering a good transitionalplant for shorelinesbut you will have to manage its fertile spreading .
Temperature and Humidity
As a native of the Amazon , parrot ’s plumage is well-heeled with heat and humidity during the growing season . It thrives in warm , summer temperatures range from 70 to 100 degrees F.
In frigid - wintertime areas within its hardiness zone , parrot ’s plume dies back to the rhizomes . Below zona 6 , where the plant is address as an one-year , parrot ’s feather should be removed after frost and toss .
Fertilizer
Parrot ’s feather does not take any fertilization .
Pruning
During the grow season , cutting back parrot ’s plume only appears to encourage the works to grow more smartly . Manage the routine of float plants by lift out newfangled plants and discarding them . After a hard frost , it should beprunedto the ground or water degree so the dead foliation does n’t decompose over winter .
Potting and Repotting Parrot’s Feather
Growing parrot ’s feather in a container is the in force mode to manage its aggressive spread . Use a perforated plastic jackpot design for pee gardens . implant the rootstock in heavy loam dirt — do not utilize potting mix . Place the pot in the body of water garden so that the works float freely on the airfoil . You may submerge the plant entirely beneath piss but ensure that it is still pick up adequate sunlight to maintain its effectiveness as a water purifier .
As the plant is an annual in most areas where it is effectual to turn , it will not need to be repotted and can be discarded at the end of the growing time of year .
Pests and Problems
Parrot ’s feather is a relatively pest- and disease - free plant . Dieback is one of the few event you might face if the plant is growing in - land and the filth dry out wholly . mention that dieback is normal after rime .
How to Propagate Parrot’s Feather
Since parrot ’s feather grow so prolifically , chances are you ’ll spend more time managing its growth rather than trying to create more plants . Parrot ’s feather may reproduce through atomisation , an asexual process where a piece of the plant breaks off and get into a disjoined grownup plant on its own . As a rhizomatous works , parrot ’s feather can also bepropagated by dividinga rhizome into pieces that each have leaf and root attached .
Only female flora are known to grow in North America so they will not produce seed .
Types of Parrot’s Feather
Red Stemmed Parrot’s Feather
Dwarf Red Stemmed Parrot Feather ( Myriophyllum brasillensisvar ‘ Red Stemmed ’ ) is small than the species . It features a red-faced stem that contrast nicely with the o.k. green foliation . This variety is a favorite plant in the marine museum trade wind . zona 6 - 10
Parrot’s Feather Companion Plants
Water Lily
urine lily are available in arainbow of color options . Many of the hardy varieties have voiced , pastel flowers ; tropic variety come in precious stone tones of bright blues , purples , oranges , and yellows . Many smorgasbord have a lovely redolence , too . Although the legal age of the species heyday strictly in the day , some bloom at Nox and close in the former break of the day . Zones 3 - 11
Lotus
One of the most refined bloomers in any water system garden , thelotus(Nelumbospp . ) bring out large , outstanding , peony - similar peak throughout the summer . The blooms appear in a number of colors and are a perfect speech pattern to its gorgeous low - green leave . zone 4 - 11
Papyrus
While ancient Egyptians used this plant to make report , papyrus(Cyperus papyrus)is also a great water garden plant . The tall stalk create a decidedly tropical expression . Zones 9 - 10
Frequently Asked Questions
If the flora ’s growth is managed , parrot ’s plume is a raw filter for water system impurities , add O to water , and helps to keep algae growth in check . Since it ’s also an ideal mosquito breeding flora , it ’s well used in a pond that supports a fish population which will rust the mosquito larva .
If the plant is not managed in a pond or stream or is countenance to run away containment , parrot ’s plume can reproduce promptly to breed an entire water supply open , choke out native water plants , clog waterway , and bestow to flooding . In prominent lake , parrot ’s feather can develop to such an extent that it also inhibits fishing and urine sports . The works can subsist and reproduce in any shallow , moist depression such as roadside ditch . It also provides a good home ground for mosquito larvae .
Parrot ’s feathering is hardy down to Zone 6 , which makes it perennial ( and an aggressive speader , if not downright incursive ) in all of the South , most coastal areas , and in the lower Midwest . It will not survive winters in Zones 5 and lower , so it is treat as an yearly in colder climate .
