Water Crowfoot (Ranunculus aquatilis)

Water Crowfoot (Ranunculus aquatilis)

A native oxygenating pond plant with fine underwater foliage and delicate white flowers for wildlife ponds

Water Crowfoot (Ranunculus aquatilis) is a beautiful UK native oxygenating pond plant valued for its fine underwater foliage and delicate white flowers. It is one of the more decorative oxygenators, making it ideal for wildlife ponds, natural ponds and larger garden ponds where you want both habitat value and seasonal interest.

Beneath the surface, Water Crowfoot forms finely divided submerged growth that provides cover for tadpoles, newts, aquatic insects and small fish. In summer, it can produce attractive white buttercup like flowers that sit on or just above the water surface.

As it grows, Water Crowfoot contributes to the pond ecosystem by producing oxygen during daylight and taking up nutrients from the water. It works best in clear water where sunlight can reach the foliage.

The weighted bunches can be placed directly into the pond, tucked into fine gravel or planted into an aquatic basket if you want to control where the plant establishes. It is suitable for still or gently moving water and can gradually spread once settled.

Water Crowfoot is a strong choice for wildlife ponds because it provides structure both below and at the surface. It combines well with potted oxygenators, marginals and waterlilies to create a more complete planting scheme.

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.

Water Crowfoot is best used as a submerged weighted bunched oxygenator for sunny ponds, where its underwater foliage provides cover and its floating flowers add seasonal interest. It pairs well with potted oxygenators, deeper bunches, marginals and waterlilies.

Key Benefits

• UK native oxygenating pond plant
• Supplied as 5 ready weighted bunches
• Fine submerged foliage provides excellent wildlife cover
• Produces pretty white flowers in summer
• Useful for wildlife ponds and natural ponds
• Helps support a balanced aquatic habitat
• Can root into gravel, silt or aquatic baskets
• Excellent for tadpoles, newts and pond insects

Reasons to Buy

• One of the most attractive native oxygenators
• Offers both underwater cover and seasonal flowers
• Good for sunny wildlife ponds
• Simple weighted bunches make placement easy
• Works well with other oxygenating pond plants

Care Instructions

• Place the weighted bunches directly into the pond at a depth of around 5cm to 150cm. For best establishment, start the bunches in shallower clear water before moving them deeper if required.
• Tuck the weighted ends into gravel, fine substrate or natural silt where possible. In ponds without a suitable base, plant the bunches into an aquatic basket filled with aquatic compost or fine gravel.
• Grow in full sun or partial shade. Clear water and good light levels will improve flowering and underwater growth.
• Trim excess growth when required and leave removed material beside the pond for 24 hours before composting.

Flowering Period

Water Crowfoot usually flowers from June to August, producing small white flowers with yellow centres on or just above the water surface.

Size and Growing Conditions

Dispatching Your Pond Plants

Your Water Crowfoot 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. Need baskets, aquatic soil or planting essentials? Browse our pond plant baskets and aquatic planting supplies.

🇬🇧 UK-grown aquatic plant: Grown at a dedicated aquatic plant nursery in the South of England and carefully prepared for delivery across the UK.