Will pond plants die in Florida winter?

[Sawyer]

I wanted to put plants in my pond, but is it too late now? Would plants like duckweed, frogbit, water hyacinth, water lettuce, etc die in the winter?

 

[jpappy789]

What kinds of temps do you normally experience overnight during winter down there?

My guess is that so long as your pond doesn't experience freezing that the plants will be fine. Unless I am mistaken most of those plants are pretty much established in Florida anyways...

 

[Sawyer]

The low 40's on the average night.

I'm clueless about pond plants so I have no idea if native pond plants die back in the winter... the ones in my big pond, like the pennywort, don't die but they don't thrive like they do in the summer.

 

[pbeemer]

I have certainly never noticed a die-off -- or even much of a slowdown -- in the amount of hyacinth in the lakes and streams of Florida.
i would expect that everything else you planted will not only survive but at least grow slowly all winter long.
the single-leaf plants like duckweed can't die off; i don't think that they produce seeds, so the only way the species can survive is to have "adults" (aren't they all adults?) survive the winter.
if it gets cold enough i think that frogbit rizomes just sink to the bottom and wait for warmer days. however, since frogbits thrive as far north as Canada, i doubt that your pond will seem that cold to them.

 

[RisiganL.]

I know Frogbit and Water Hyacinth will survive because they survive my North Carolina winters! I am pretty sure duckweed will do fine as well.

 

[tolawdjk]

The bigger question is why would you want to put duckweed in a pond that doesn't have it?

 

[Sawyer]

Thanks, I'm glad it will be okay!

I actually like duckweed. Lol, I know I'm strange. Goldfish like to eat it don't they? And I have a turtle (in a tank indoors) that might like to eat it too. If worst comes to worst I can throw away or give away the extra.

 

[garyfla]

Hi
Lot depends on which zone in florida and of course the winter. Last two winters have been brutal lol
Only thing I've lost due to cold were water bananas, some aquatic aroids and some aquarium plants
Crypts seem particularly cold sensitive but usually recover. You might check out some of the state sites
as many of these plants are illegal to propagate due to being sooo invasive.
gary