Coontails and Leopard Frogs!

I am not one that is beyond scavenging for plants to go in the gardens.  Nor am I one that is beyond scooping some plant out of the creek, Bayou or Bay to place in the Frog Pond.  This tendency has netted (pun intended) me quite a few aquatic plants that are now thriving to the point that either I am going to have to dig a bigger pond or give away some of the fauna.  There is just not a lot of open space left!  This habit is rubbing off on other family members as well!  Mark had scooped up a single Water Hyacinth that he found floating in the Bay earlier this summer.  The plant has multiplied into over thirty plants and is blooming profusely!  No wonder this is considered a "nuisance" plant.  With this rate of reproducing, the Bayou would have been well on its way to becoming overrun with hyacinths!  In just a matter of a few years of perfect growing conditions (which for the hyacinth means it has water) there would have been thousands upon thousands of the little pontoon like plants bobbing along with the waves.  In a sense, Mark's sweet gesture to me was a great life-saving gesture to the Bayou. At least in the Frog Pond, I can somewhat control the quantity of plants and not let them completely clog off areas.  Had the hyacinth been allowed to remain in the Bayou, we would have had a mess!  It is sad that some folks do not think before allowing nonnative species to inhabit our waterways.

Coontail..the perfect plant addition to the Frog Pond!

 Now, Michael had his turn at snagging a plant for the pond.  He was on the pier the other day and spied a wispy plant floating near one of the posts.  Knowing that I am always on the lookout for interesting plants for the pond, he took our fish scoop net to land a sprig for me. "Here, Mom...I got you this", he said once he was back up at the porch.  Ok?  In his hand, the plant looked like nothing more than a bit of slimy algae..just what I needed!  More algae!  Woohoo!  But after he had given it a good cleaning with the water hose, I could see that this indeed would make a pretty addition to the Frog Pond.  "I don't know if it will grow in fresh water......" he said and then  Sploosh!  In went the plant without second thoughts!  I peered into the pond where he tossed the bit of greenery.  Once the plant was under water, it unfurled into the prettiest shape!  I needed to look up about this plant..it made such a nice addition to the Frog Pond collection!  Coontail!  I was intrigued even by the name!  Coontail!  It seems that this is a great plant to have in the pond.  Small aquatic animals love the plant as it becomes a feeding ground for them.  Aquatic invertebrates congregate among the leaves and there the larger pond denizens seek them out as food.   The older plants that die, sink to the bottom and thus, become food for other plants and provide overwintering shelter for frogs!  It, also, seems that the Coontail plants are good oxygenators for the pond.  Since my pond has no aerator, I figure that this would be a big boost to the residing tadpoles and dragonfly nymphs!  In just the few days that the plant has been in the pond, I have noticed that it seems to be flourishing!   It has put out a few more branches and is quite fluffy!  Nice....I have trained my husband and son well!   They can both just keep scooping up these freebie plants!

Leopard Frog tadpole with its back legs starting to extend! 

The Frog Pond is doing well with its additions of new plants.  We have had several hatchings of American Green Tree Frogs, Leopard Frogs and American Toads.  I slipped outside a bit today and was able to check the progress of the tadpoles.  Currently, there are some tiny tree frogs hopping about on the water lilies and a few of their tadpoles still in the pond.  Another mass of toad eggs are floating attached to the hyacinths and the nearly two-inch-long Leopard Frog tadpoles are morphing into frogs.  Their back legs can clearly be seen even from a distance of several yards.  It is nice to know that the Frog Pond is healthy and with additions like the hyacinth and Coontail, perhaps it will remain that way!