High Water

How to choose high water plants

High water plants split into two camps, and choosing well means knowing which one your garden needs. Ground that stays saturated for weeks is a different problem from a rich, irrigated bed that never quite dries out. For genuinely boggy ground and pond edges, the deciduous water trees are the reliable choice: Swamp Cypress tolerates standing water outright, and River Birch, Dawn Redwood and Weeping Willow all thrive where lawn drowns. For moist but drained soil, the tropical foliage plants take over: alocasias, colocasias and heliconias, backed by thirsty palms and clumping bamboo.

Then check cold tolerance, because a love of water says nothing about frost. Heliconias, Lipstick Palm and the Licuala fan palms are strictly for the tropics and warm subtropics. The water trees run the other way and handle hard frost without complaint.

Where these plants work across Australia

• Tropical and subtropical gardens. The whole collection is open to you. Heliconias and alocasias build a rainforest understorey, fan palms fill sheltered shade, and clumping bamboo makes a fast screen with a matching appetite for water.
• Warm temperate gardens. Alocasias, Majesty Palm and most of the bamboo perform well with regular irrigation and shelter from cold, drying winds.
• Cool temperate and frost prone gardens. Plant the deciduous water lovers. Weeping Willow, River Birch, Swamp Cypress and Dawn Redwood colour beautifully in autumn and shrug off heavy frost.
• Indoors. The smaller entries, including Maranta, Homalomena and the carnivorous pitcher plants, suit bright rooms where the mix is kept consistently moist.

Planting and care basics

Rich soil holds the moisture these plants want, so dig in compost before planting and mulch 75mm deep, keeping the mulch clear of stems. Water deeply two or three times a week through the first summer; established trees in naturally damp ground largely look after themselves. Feed with a controlled release fertiliser in early spring, and again in late summer in warm climates. In beds that rely on irrigation rather than natural moisture, a dripper line under the mulch beats hand watering for consistency every time.

If you are building a full bed, browse the wider tropical plants collection for companions, or add height from the clumping bamboo range and our palm trees.

Common questions

Will these plants grow in standing water?

Only a few. Swamp Cypress genuinely tolerates it and Weeping Willow copes at a pond margin. Most of the collection wants moist, rich soil that still drains, not stagnant water sitting around the roots.

Can I plant a willow or river birch near the house?

Keep water seeking trees well away from pipes, drains and foundations; 10m is a sensible minimum for a willow. Clumping bamboo is the safe alternative near paving and pools, because its root mass stays compact.

I do not garden in the tropics. Is this collection still for me?

Yes. The deciduous water trees suit every cold region of Australia, and alocasias grow as far south as Melbourne in a sheltered courtyard. Check the climate information on each product page before you buy.

How does delivery work?

Everything here is delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and no minimum order. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.