Top 10 wetland plants

These 10 indigenous stalwarts will thrive in a wetland garden that gets enough sun.

White arum lily

Zantedeschia aethiopica An old-fashioned garden favourite with arrow-shaped, glossy green leaves of up to 50cm and showy white flowers in spring. Can tolerate moderate frost to -6°C. (The species in the photo is Zantedeschia aethiopica “Green Goddess”.)

African gladiolus

Gladiolus dalenii Growing up to 1m tall with orange blooms in summer, this plant needs full sun for best flower production. Tolerates heavy frost up to -10°C.

River lily

Hesperantha coccinea or Schizostylis coccinea A semi-evergreen perennial growing up to 50cm x 25cm, with beautiful crimson to pink or white flowers in summer and autumn. Tolerates heavy frost up to -10°C.

Orange River lily

Crinum bulbispermum A large bulbous plant of up to 1m high with curving greyish leaves and large pink-and-white striped lilylike flowers in early summer. It needs full sun and is dormant over winter. Tolerates heavy frost up to -10°C. >

River pumpkin

Gunnera perpensa

This perennial robust herb of 0,6m x 1m has umbrella-shaped blue-green foliage. Tolerates heavy frost up to -10°C.

Papyrus

Cyperus

The best known is the 2m-tall Cyperus papyrus and the dwarf version in the picture, Cyperus papyrus “Nana”. There are also other smaller species such as the 1,5m-tall Cyperus textilis, 1m-tall Cyperus alternifolius and 1m-tall Cyperus prolifer. They prefer sun to partial shade and tolerate frost up to -5°C.

Rushes

Juncus

The common rush ( Juncus effusus) forms a handsome clump up to 1m tall, with dark-green stems, and tolerates severe frost. The corkscrew rush ( Juncus effusus “Spiralis”) has unusual curly stems.

River star

Gomphostigma virgatum

An evergreen perennial shrub that can grow up to 2,6m high, with delicate silvery grey foliage and small white flowers all year. Tolerates heavy frost up to -10°C.

Bloodroot

Wachendorfia thyrsiflora

This is an evergreen plant with pleated green leaves and striking yellow flower spikes in spring and early summer. It grows up to 2m tall and tolerates moderate frost up to -6°C.

Reeds and restios

Cape thatching reed ( Elegia tectorum), and the dwarf variety Elegia tectorum ‘Fish Hoek’ tolerate frost up to -8°C. The former grows up to 1,2m tall and the dwarf variety 0,6m tall, and they have the same spread, architectural foliage and brown inflorescences. Protect them with mulch in winter.

Blombiesie ( Elegia cuspidata) grows 0,5m to 1m tall, forms dense clumps of upright narrow stems and tolerates moderate frost.

Calopsis ( Calopsis paniculata) grows up to 3m tall and has feathery bright-green leaves. It only tolerates mild frost.