Hi Big Kid,

I think like the newts, I have the 'common' variety of starwort. It has taken off and mainly underwater so has the spiky leaves. Some are now breaking onto the service but hasn't changed to a broader leaf yet. There does seem to be wildlife sitting in it or dissapearing under it so I assume that is a good thing!

I was worried that it might be the dreaded stonecrop, so was looking at pictures last night, but it isn't. But it does seem to collect the weird 'yellow globule' version of algae I seem to get later in the season. Don't get blanketweed though and I did read somewhere that it helps with that.

I understand though the too much of an oxygenator is not a good thing especially in the winter, and I have been thinning out the elodea (as it looks quite ugly except when absolutely new and fresh) which is quite an efficient oxygenator (you can see it bubble it hot weather).

The other odd thing I get (other than the globules) at present is what looks like moss. It is easy to get out, and seems to go quite deep but again I just don't know whether that is a sign of a healthy or unhealthy pond. There is a fair amount of moss around on land (I don't go out to mow the lawn, I mow the moss). I don't mind green water at various times of the year, just as long as the wildlife thrives.

Found the first caddis fly larvae of the season yesterday--what clever bugs they are!

Thanks for any ideas! I wonder what other people's experiences are?

Chip

Think I'll leave well alone and stick to Elodea Crispa and Hornwort. My pond's 9' x 8' and I don't have a pump or filter. I reckon I'm doing very well, as I only get a bit of murky water in spring and then everything seems to right itself from then. I do use barley straw and add new stuff after 3 months, then leave the old in until it's 6 months old. I get a bit of blanket weed but I can live with it. I fish it out with my 'twizzle stick' which is actually a plastic pole from blinds.

Water starwort has very soft floppy leaves. Swamp stonecrop has quite fleshy leaves. If you take starwort out of the water the leaves will flop. If you tale stonecrop out of the water the leaves stay erect. Also, if you get a good magnifying glass, look at where the leaves join the stem. On starwort they just join the stem, on stonecrop there is a tiny sheath that goes down the stem a mm or less. Also the flowers are different.

I don't think newts mind which sort of starwort the have. If they don't have it they will use other leaves- watercress, hornwort, elodea types, although on the stiffer ones the eggs will just be stuck to them instead of safely folded in.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you want links to swamp stonecrop identification.

The good news is that it is water starwort, and seems to be hiding a multitude of critters at present. The toads have made there way back and there are a couple who literally snooze half-submerged in the pond on a hot day. And yes, they are really toads!

As for figuring out the newts--I remain perplexed. In the past I have seen the underside which is very unspotty (palmate?) but have not been able to catch good site of their underbellies without terrorising them so far. But did glimpse one with spots I think. The past few nights I have seen mainly females, and the male scooted away with its tail moving so fast I couldn't really be sure about the shape of the tail. They are small I think, but then again, without having other newts to compare them to it is hard to tell.

So more evening studying I think. Still, as long as they know what they are....

Chip

My seasonal pond which is quite large, suddenly seems to have been completely smothered by Water Startwort (Callitriche) and I fear it may take over entirely unless I can eradicate it. I have never had this pond weed ever before. I have pulled out masses of it but can't possibly remove every single fine strand. When the pond dries out in the summer, will the Water Startwort die or simple stay dormant until it fills with water again? Advice on how I can get rid of it permanently would be much appreciated

Crispin, if it IS water starwort, don't worry. It is very good for newts to spawn on the leaves, and is a very good plant.
However you should check it isn't Crassula / Tillea / stonecrop which is very invasive and will start "climbing out" of the pond.
Pick one little stem, and hold it in the air. If it flops over completey it is probably starwort. If it stands stiff, it may be stonecrop. If it is, you will need to try to gently pull it out without breaking it as it grows very easily from a small segment.

If it IS starwort, and the pond dries it will die off, but should come back from the roots again next year.
Do you have a photo of the pond and the plant that you could upload to the gallery here?

This is a photo I uploaded of swamp stonecrop:
http://www.uk.gardenweb.com/forums/load/ukponds/gal041718095989.html

Do you have newts? If so, it would be a good idea to wait until late summer autumn before thinning it or you will lose newt eggs.

hi all. i bought a bit of starwort there recently as i've heard its very good for wildlife in a pond. i have a medium size pond with 10 koi fish. my problem is that the fish seem to keep eating all my starwort(and yes i do feed the fish every evening) anyone know of a way around this or can suggest another plant that will do the same job and the fish will keep away from. help many thanks

Hi Martin, I'm afraid I don't know which plants fish don't eat. I think you just ned to have alot of oxygenators so that they don't eat them all.

On a separate subject I would strongly suggest that you take your email address off pour profile. It is displayed with your message and you will get swamped with spam. Do it asap.