What do the terms “hardy” and “tropical” mean when referring to lilies or other water plants?
“Hardy” essentially means the same as “perennial” – in other words, they should survive the winters outdoors. Check the plant poster for plants that are hardy in our area. The opposite of “hardy” is “tropical”, meaning they will not usually survive our winters. “Hardy” has nothing to do with how sturdy or adaptable a plant is; there are sturdy, easy to grow, plants in both the “hardy” and “tropical” groups. What does the term “marginal” mean? Plants that grow on the edge, or margin, of a pond, usually requiring 0-6 inches of water above their crown. List benefits of having plants in a pond. They filter out nutrients that otherwise feed algae; they provide hiding places for fish; they greatly enhance the beauty of the pond; they provide shade which cools the pond and further reduces algae growth. Give examples of hardy marginals, and examples of tropical marginals? “Hardy”s would include Acoris, Aquatic Mint, Arum, Arrowhead, Bog Bean, Cattails, Clover, Golden Club, Houttonia, Iris, Liz
