You are here: Home > aquatic plants + supplies > edible plants
When planting these plants use 0" to 6" of water over the crown unless otherwise noted. The plants listed here are edible and can easily be grown in your own pond. There is a tremendous potential for food production from boggy areas. Most of these plants are marginals. Marginal plants are shallow water plants that live in very moist soil or in pots in the pond with the crown at or just below the water's surface.


If you want your plants to overwinter in your pond, choose plants from your zone or a higher numbered zone.
To find out what your zone is, click the map to the left.
Sort By:
Page of 1
Sweet Flag Variegated--Acorus calamus 'Variegatus'--Shallow Water Plant
Our Price: $10.00 		Black Taro--Colocasia esculenta 'Black Magic'--Shallow Water Plant
Our Price: $10.00 		Chameleon Plant--Houttuynia cordata 'Aariegata'--Shallow Water Plant
Our Price: $8.00
•ZONE 4
•Restrictions: None
•Beautiful green and cream striped foliage
•Persists all summer
•Leaves are sweet scented when broken
•Once used underfoot in doorways for welcoming
•2' to 3'

•Edible information:
•Grow on the shallow edges of ponds in soil
•Harvested rhizomes in autumn or spring
•Rhizomes are edible and can be used as a substitute for ginger, cinnamon or nutmeg
•History shows rhizomes were candied and used as a sweetmeat
•Inner portion of young stems can be eaten raw
•Young leaves can be eaten cooked
•Mature leaves are insect repellant
•Lower stem and rhizome can be dried and used to scent clothes cupboards etc
•Essential oil can be extracted from the rhizome 		•ZONE 8
•Restrictions: Sorry we CAN NOT ship this item to Hawaii
•Winters easily indoors in a sunny location
•Dusty charcoal black leaves
•Dark burgundy, almost black stems
•4' 		•ZONE 6
•Restrictions: None
•Flowers in May and June
•Multicolored red, blue-green and yellow heart-shaped leaves
•Leaf colors vary with amount of sunlight
•White flowers
•Prefers part shade
•6" to 12"
Hardy Four Leaf Water Clover--Marsilea quadrifolia--Shallow Water Plant
Our Price: $8.00 		Water Mint--Mentha aquatica--Shallow Water Plant
Our Price: $8.00 		Arrow Arum--Peltandra virginica--Shallow Water Plant
Our Price: $8.00
•ZONE 5
•Restrictions: None
•8" to 10"
•Bright green upright foliage
•Hardiest of all the clovers
•Makes an excellent ground cover 		•ZONE 6
•Restrictions: Sorry, but CAN NOT ship this item to Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Wyoming
•Flowers in August and September
•Aromatic foliage
•Lilac-pink blossoms
•Quick surface cover
•Great for natural filters and new ponds
•1' 		•ZONE 5
•Restrictions: Sorry we CAN NOT ship this item to Puerto Rico
•Glossy dark green arrow-shaped foliage
•North American native
•Tolerates some shade
•Easy to grow
•Consistent and uniform
•2' to 3'

•Edible information
•Grow in shallow water near pond edge
•Rhizomes are edible must be well cooked
•Poisonous raw
Dwarf Common Reed Variegated--Phragmites australis aurea--Shallow Water Plant
Our Price: $10.00 		Pickerel Rush--Pontederia cordata--Shallow Water Plant
Our Price: $8.00 		Arrowhead--Sagittaria latifolia--Shallow Water Plant
Our Price: $8.00
•ZONE 5
•Restrictions: Sorry we CAN NOT ship this item to Massachusetts, Vermont
•Flowers in August
•Bright yellow and green striped leaves
•Delicate and upright
•3' to 4'

•Edible information
•Very invasive
•Roots contain 5% sugar can be dried, ground coarsely and used as a porridge
•Young shoots can be eaten raw or cooked
•Seed is also edible
•Wounded stems release a sugary substance that hardens upon exposure to the air
•This can be eaten raw or roasted
•Dry and ground inner stem can be moistened and then roasted to make a marshmallow substitute 		•ZONE 3
•Restrictions: Sorry we CAN NOT ship this item to Louisiana and Puerto Rico
•Flowers in June through September
•Native
•Slick broad dark green foliage
•Bright lavender flowers
•Easy to grow and long blooming
•2' to 3'

•Edible information
•Grow in pond margins and marshy soils
•Happiest in water about six inches to one foot deep
•Seeds can be eaten raw or ground up and used as a flour substitute
•Young leafstalks can be eaten raw or cooked 		•ZONE 4
•Restrictions: Sorry we CAN NOT ship this item to Puerto Rico
•Flowers in July and August
•Strong, wide arrow-shaped foliage
•Delicate white flowers
•Bright yellow centers
•North American native
•2'

•Edible information
•Grows in water up to one and a half feet deep
•Tuber can be cooked and eaten
White Bulrush--Scirpus lacustris ssp. taber. 'Albescens'--Shallow Water Plant
Our Price: $10.00 		Cattail Varigated--Typha latifolia 'Variegata'--Shallow Water Plant
Our Price: $12.00
•ZONE 5
•Restrictions: Sorry we CAN NOT ship this item to Puerto Rico
•Tall white needle-like foliage
Marked with narrow green vertical pinstripes
•Do not fertilize to prevent green foliage
•4' to 5'

•Edible information
•Grows in bogs or shallow ponds
•Roots are edible raw, dried, or ground used as a flour
•Young shoots in spring are edible
•Leaves can be used in weaving for making mats, chair seats etc 		•ZONE 3
•Restrictions: Sorry we CAN NOT ship this item to Puerto Rico
•Flowers in June and July
•Striking green and cream variegated foliage
•Tolerates some shade
•Great specimen plant
•Real eye catcher
•5'
   
 
Residents of AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT and WA: A phytosanitary inspection fee is required for plants entering your state to protect against contamination by pests and diseases. A $25 fee is required to be paid for all orders with plants to these states. The fee is for each order of plants, not each plant, so it is not so bad if you have a larger order. Although we think the inspection is a great idea, we regret that the inspectors charge a fee for it. If you have read about and accept this fee, please add the fee (at the bottom of the page) to your cart so we know you approve it. If you don't add the fee to your cart, we will have to call you to confirm that you accept, which will take longer. Thank you.