On the Vascular Native Plant Red list for the UK and classified as vulnerable, so we are fortunate to have a thriving stand in the pond.
The free-floating plant has leaves which are akin to those of a small water lily and provide useful surface cover and shelter for early stages of aquatic life such as dragonfly larvae and newt tadpoles.
White flowers with a yellow centre are usually on show in July and August. The plants die back and become dormant in winter; the buds, which drop to the bottom, give rise to new leaves the next spring and float back up.
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