Spiked Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)

Spiked Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)

A native oxygenating pond plant with fine feathery foliage for submerged cover and wildlife ponds

Spiked Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) is a native oxygenating pond plant with fine feathery submerged foliage. It is a useful choice for wildlife ponds, natural ponds and larger garden ponds where submerged cover is important.

The soft, divided leaves create excellent shelter for tadpoles, newts, aquatic insects and small fish. In clear water and good light, it can form attractive underwater growth that gives the pond a more natural and established feel.

During active growth, Spiked Water Milfoil produces oxygen during daylight and uses nutrients from the water. It should be part of a balanced pond system with appropriate planting, filtration, aeration and sensible fish stocking where relevant.

This plant is supplied as weighted bunches, making it simple to place into the pond. The weighted ends can be allowed to sink, tucked into fine substrate or planted into a basket if you want a more controlled position.

Spiked Water Milfoil can be vigorous in suitable conditions, so it may need thinning from time to time. This makes it especially useful in larger wildlife ponds where stronger submerged cover is wanted.

Potted Oxygenators and Bunched Oxygenators

Potted oxygenators are supplied rooted in aquatic soil and are usually placed on pond shelves or in shallow water. They often provide useful cover near the water surface, making them valuable for amphibians, froglets and aquatic insects.

Bunched oxygenators are usually weighted and placed into deeper areas of the pond, where they can sink towards the pond floor and root into the substrate.

Spiked Water Milfoil is best used as a submerged weighted bunched oxygenator for deeper pond areas. It pairs well with potted oxygenators on shallow shelves and marginal plants around the pond edge.

Key Benefits

• UK native oxygenating pond plant
• Supplied as 5 ready weighted bunches
• Fine feathery submerged foliage
• Excellent cover for pond wildlife
• Useful in deeper pond areas
• Strong growth in suitable conditions
• Good for wildlife ponds and natural ponds
• Can root into substrate or aquatic baskets

Reasons to Buy

• A classic native oxygenator for submerged cover
• Useful for larger ponds and wildlife ponds
• Provides excellent habitat for small pond life
• Simple to introduce as weighted bunches
• Works well with other oxygenators and waterlilies

Care Instructions

• Place the weighted bunches directly into the pond and allow them to sink into position. Tuck into gravel, fine substrate or silt where possible.
• Grow in full sun or partial shade. Good light and clear water will support stronger growth.
• Thin excess growth if it becomes too dense. Always leave removed material beside the pond for 24 hours before composting.
• In fish ponds, protect new bunches if fish or wildfowl are likely to disturb fresh planting.

Flowering Period

Spiked Water Milfoil can produce small reddish flower spikes above the water in summer, although it is mainly grown for its submerged foliage and oxygenating value.

Size and Growing Conditions

Dispatching Your Pond Plants

Your Spiked Water Milfoil will arrive as freshly prepared weighted bunches, ready to place directly into your pond.

Each bunch is carefully prepared and weighted to help it sink naturally and establish in a suitable position.

Plants are dispatched fresh during the growing season and may vary in appearance depending on the time of year, water temperature and current nursery growth.

Open the packaging promptly on arrival and place the bunches into pond water as soon as possible. Never allow bunched oxygenators to dry out.

To avoid plants being held in depots over a weekend, we do not usually dispatch on Fridays. Highlands and Islands orders using a 2 day service are not normally dispatched on Thursdays.

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