Spiked Water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) - Native Submerged Pond Plant (Peat- & Pesticide-free)

A graceful UK-native submerged plant, Myriophyllum spicatum forms soft, feathery whorls of leaves along slender stems, creating superb underwater cover for tadpoles, newts and fry. In summer it can send reddish flower spikes to the surface - pretty, but the real value is the submerged structure that soaks up spare nutrients as part of a balanced planting. It’s a confident grower in clean water, easy to thin by hand, and best suited to medium or larger ponds where its flowing stems can weave among other plants.

Where it thrives

• Light: Sun to partial shade (best density with decent light)

• Water/Depth: Still to slow-moving water; typically 30-100 cm below the surface in garden ponds

• Setting: Naturalistic ponds with varied marginals and a little surface shade; not ideal for tiny barrels due to vigour

Planting & care

• Supplied as bunches/portions (see options). Simply sink to position - no basket required

• Starter guide: 1-2 bunches per m² of pond surface; in new or fishy ponds you can start a bit higher and thin later

• Let total plant mass reach no more than one-third of pond volume; hand-thin and compost excess through the season

• Remove loose fragments during maintenance so they don’t drift and re-root where you don’t want them

Safety (important & honest):
Not for consumption; do not ingest. Wash hands after pond work. Keep plant material and pond water out of natural watercourses; never release garden plants into the wild.

Truth-first wildlife note:
Milfoils are outstanding for underwater habitat and nutrient uptake, but - like all oxygenators - won’t clear green water alone. Combine with varied marginals, some surface shade, and low nutrient input for clear, living water.

Joel says…
“Feathery, flowing, and fantastic for youngsters to hide in. Give spiked milfoil room to breathe, keep it to a third of the pond, and it’ll do quiet, brilliant work under the surface.”