Sun loving annual in a pond setting?

Donna
by Donna
I have a pondless waterfall that runs on a 12 foot slope. I know that you can put impatients (without the dirt) in your shady pond and they grow like wildfire - but I have too much sun. Can anyone suggest a sun-loving annual that also loves "wet feet."
  7 answers
  • Walter Reeves Walter Reeves on Mar 30, 2012
    ruellia is a possibility...also caladium and the small elephant ears
  • Sherrie S Sherrie S on Mar 30, 2012
    Ruellia likes anything & grows anywhere with or without water. I find them invasive although very pretty. The small elephant ears are very nice and also grow almost anywhere including directly in the water. I have a pond so I am certain. Walter, I didn't know about caladiums - I think I would like to try them. Donna, I live in Florida so I also know about sun. Not many plants can handle full sun in Florida but Walter's suggestions will work.
  • Ann W Ann W on Mar 30, 2012
    love ruellia but had to stop planting it because the raccoons eat it--down to the ground!
  • Love it, and so far has not been invasive for me. What about Angelonia? It is so tough and beautiful and might be able to handle a bit of wet feet. Coleous can be grown in a vase of water, so that could work. I have some Dusty Miller in a wet spot that is happy. Maybe luck, or maybe that could work. What about Japanese Iris? There is a great book called something like the Book of Lists. I use it a lot. Look up plants for wet places.
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Mar 31, 2012
    Blue flag iris (Iris virginica) would definitely like it wet. So would cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis).
  • Donna Donna on Apr 02, 2012
    Thank you all for the responses - Walter, I had not heard of ruellia, but I do love caladiums and elephant ears so I will give them a try. Douglas, we actually have the blue flag iris and cardinal flower planted in a part of our yard that gets a lot of water runoff - they work well and as perennials, make my gardening life easier.
    • SHARON SHIBLEY SHARON SHIBLEY on May 11, 2016
      @Donna DONT LET PETS GNAW ON THE ELEPHANTS EARS IF YOU HAVE PETS. THEY ARE POISONOUS. I KNOW THAT FROM AN INCIDENT WITH MY BROTHER MANY, MANY YEARS AGO. LOL DONT ASK.