pond plants and winter

[2vetts]

last year we cut our pond plants off short and sunk them in deep part of pond ,some of them weren't happy with that . plants are [we think] a zebra rush , a spider plant [has leaves kind of like an iris but shorter and thicker] , a plant that grows about 14'' tall and has very airy ball shaped growth on top of the stems , a couple others that defy description . we are zone five , any thoughts appreciated . by the way we have an excess of pale orange colored water canna which we wouldn't mind sharing of there is any interest , if not it will be recycled . i may be to lazy to separate it but lets see what transpires . . . .peace

[PondmaninAL]

That 14" tall plant with the "airy ball" on top might be dwarf papyrus if there is no other leaves.

I'll take some of that canna if you don't want it.

[trish]

That 14" tall plant with the "airy ball" on top might be dwarf papyrus if there is no other leaves.

I was thinking the same thing on that description.  If it is, it's a tropical and will no doubt die in your zone 5. 

http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/55189/

[LynneNY]

I had a dwarf papyrus in my pond last summer (2009) for the first time and tried to overwinter it by sinking it into the pond.  It did not make it through my zone 6 winter, even though we had a heater in the pond.

However... I took 2 cuttings before sinking it, which rooted very easily, and kept it in a pot of wet soil inside.  One cutting survived and produced a very large new plant for me this past summer once I put it back out in the pond.  I intend to do the same thing this year, in hopes that I will be able to continue to have this plant without having to purchase new ones.  The key is to keep the cutting moist at all times while in the pot indoors.

[PondmaninAL]

I brought it with me from Florida, zone 9b, to here in Alabama, zone 7b, and lost it during the past Winter. I did get more from eBay in the Spring. I plan to over-winter it inside this coming Winter.