Water Gardens and Introduced Species

Constructing a water garden is a unique and enjoyable way to accent a property. There are many types of aquatic plants and animals commonly used in water gardens including water lettuce, cattails and koi. Many of the popular species are not native to the area or watershed in which they are being planted.

Introduced species are defined as any individual, group, subspecies or population that enters an aquatic ecosystem outside of its historical native range. These species  may be plants or animals and may arrive from different countries or from different locations of the same country. Non-native species like goldfish and purple loosestrife, are now prevalent in many regions across the U.S. after first being used as ornamentals. Once established, introduced species may cause ecological and economic problems and  can be difficult if not impossible to control or eradicate.

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