Red Stem Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum rubricaule)

Red Stem Water Milfoil | Myriophyllum Rubricaule

A decorative oxygenating pond plant with fine feathery foliage, attractive red stems and useful submerged cover for wildlife ponds and planted water features.

Fine textured oxygenating foliage with attractive red stems

Red Stem Water Milfoil, botanically known as Myriophyllum rubricaule, is an attractive oxygenating pond plant grown for its fine feathery foliage, reddish stems and natural underwater texture. It is a lovely choice for garden ponds, wildlife ponds, container ponds and planted water features where you want submerged planting that looks more decorative than many standard oxygenators.

This plant can produce bright green feathery foliage with red stems close to or above the water surface. When grown deeper below the water, the foliage changes into its submerged form, becoming finer and often darker with reddish tones. It is this underwater growth that provides the main oxygenating value, as only leaves growing below the water surface will photosynthesise and release oxygen into the pond.

Red Stem Water Milfoil is useful for creating a more natural planted pond environment. Its soft submerged foliage can provide shelter for small pond creatures, aquatic insects and fry in suitable ponds. It also gives wildlife somewhere to hide, rest and move through the pond more safely. The red toned stems and delicate underwater leaves add extra visual interest, especially in clear water and shallow planted areas.

As with other oxygenating plants, Red Stem Water Milfoil can help support the overall balance of a pond by taking up nutrients as it grows. This can help reduce the nutrients available to algae as part of a wider pond planting scheme, especially when used alongside waterlilies, floating plants and marginals. It should not be treated as a guaranteed algae cure, but it is a useful part of a healthy planted pond.

This plant is best positioned in full sun to partial shade, where enough light can reach the foliage below the water. In very shaded or very deep water, growth may be weaker because underwater plants need light to photosynthesise properly. The usual recommended planting depth is 0 cm to 25 cm for establishing plants, measured from the top of the basket to the water surface. Once well established, oxygenators may sometimes be grown deeper if light can still reach the foliage.

Red Stem Water Milfoil has a medium growth rate and little maintenance is required. Simply remove surplus growth if it begins to spread beyond the intended area, and take out any decaying stems before they break down in the pond.

Key benefits

• Attractive red stems and fine feathery foliage

• Decorative oxygenating pond plant

• Provides submerged cover for small pond wildlife

• Useful for wildlife ponds, garden ponds and planted water features

• Adds soft underwater texture and movement

• More ornamental than many standard oxygenators

• Can grow in full sun or partial shade

• Helps support a balanced planted pond

• Works well with waterlilies, marginals and other oxygenators

• Little maintenance required once established

• Suitable for shallow planted areas and pond baskets

Reasons to buy Red Stem Water Milfoil

Red Stem Water Milfoil is a good choice if you want an oxygenating pond plant that also looks attractive. Its fine foliage and reddish stems give it a more decorative appearance than some plain green oxygenators, making it suitable for ornamental ponds as well as wildlife ponds.

It is especially useful for creating underwater habitat. The soft, divided foliage gives small pond creatures and aquatic insects somewhere to shelter, helping the pond feel more natural and established.

This plant also works well as part of a layered planting scheme. Use oxygenators below the surface, marginal plants around the edge and waterlilies or floating plants on the surface to create planting at different levels.

For new ponds, Red Stem Water Milfoil can help introduce submerged plant growth and natural structure. For established ponds, it can be added where more underwater cover or texture is needed.

Care instructions

Place Red Stem Water Milfoil in full sun or partial shade where the plant receives good underwater light. Light is important for oxygenating plants because the submerged leaves need to photosynthesise below the surface.

The usual planting depth is 0 cm to 25 cm, measured from the top of the basket to the water surface. If supplied as a smaller 9 cm plant, repot into a larger aquatic basket and start it shallower while it establishes.

1 litre oxygenating plants can normally be placed into the pond without repotting, although moving them into a larger basket can be beneficial if you want stronger long-term growth.

Larger 2 litre and 3 litre plants are more established and can usually be placed up to the maximum recommended depth straight away.

Weighted bunches can be dropped into the pond, but they often establish better if planted into aquatic soil or gravel in a suitable planting basket.

Remove surplus growth if the plant spreads beyond the area you want it to cover. In smaller ponds and container ponds, keep growth thinned so it does not crowd the water.

Take out any decaying stems or loose plant material before it breaks down in the pond.

Flowering period

Red Stem Water Milfoil may produce small greenish flowers during summer, usually around June and July.

The flowers are not the main feature of this plant. It is mainly grown for its submerged foliage, attractive red stems and oxygenating value below the water surface.

Flowering can vary depending on water depth, light levels, plant maturity and seasonal conditions.

Size, spread and growing conditions

Botanical name: Myriophyllum rubricaule

Common name: Red Stem Water Milfoil

Plant type: Oxygenating pond plant

Plant height: Approximately 15 cm to 80 cm depending on water depth and conditions

Potential spread: Approximately 30 cm to 100 cm depending on growing conditions

Growth rate: Medium

Flower colour: Small greenish flowers

Flowering period: June to July

Position: Full sun or partial shade

Soil: Aquatic soil, pond substrate or aquatic gravel

Recommended planting depth: 0 cm to 25 cm for establishing plants

Possible deeper use: May be grown deeper once established if underwater light levels are good

Foliage: Fine feathery foliage with reddish stems

Native status: Not UK native

Best suited for: Wildlife ponds, garden ponds, planted water features, container ponds and mixed oxygenator planting

Wildlife value: Provides submerged shelter for aquatic insects, small pond creatures and fry in suitable ponds

Oxygenating pond plant guidance

Oxygenating plants grow below the water surface and help create a more natural planted pond environment. Their underwater leaves photosynthesise when light reaches them, releasing oxygen into the water during daylight hours.

Planting depth is measured from the top of the basket to the water surface.

Smaller plants should normally be started shallower so they can establish properly. Once they are growing strongly, some oxygenators can be moved slightly deeper, provided there is still enough light below the surface.

Avoid letting large amounts of oxygenator growth die back in the pond. Removing surplus or decaying growth helps prevent excess organic waste building up in the water.

Your plant on arrival

Your Red Stem Water Milfoil may arrive as a potted oxygenating plant or as weighted bunches, depending on the size option selected.

9 cm plants should be repotted into a larger aquatic basket before being placed into the pond. Use suitable aquatic compost, pond gravel or aquatic planting media.

1 litre oxygenating plants can usually be placed directly into the pond, although repotting into a larger basket can help long-term establishment.

2 litre and 3 litre plants are larger and more established, so they can normally be placed up to the maximum recommended depth.

Weighted bunches can be dropped into the pond, but they may establish better if gently planted into soil or gravel within a basket.

Dispatching your pond plants

Pond plants are selected, watered and packed carefully before dispatch. As living plants, the amount of visible growth, stem colour and foliage form will vary depending on the season, weather and the plant’s natural growth cycle.

Early season plants may arrive with less top growth and will develop once settled into suitable pond conditions. Oxygenators may also look different depending on whether the growth has developed above or below the water surface.

Unpack your plants promptly on arrival and keep the aquatic basket, bunches or pot moist until they are placed into the pond, container pond or planted water feature.

Do not allow oxygenating plants to dry out. Place them into the pond as soon as practical, ideally in a bright position where underwater light can reach the foliage.

Explore more oxygenating pond plants or browse our complete pond plants range.