Whats the best plant for newts (smooth and palmate) to spawn on?

[N0z]

Hey guys just a quick question, does anyone know what is the best/favorite plant for newts (smooth and palmate) to lay their eggs on ?

Thanks

[Deb London]

You can do a lot worse than water starwort. My newts are still laying on this plant, I can find recent eggs. They also like brooklime. But seem to make do with anything they can wrap or attempt to wrap.

[N0z]

Originally Posted by Deb London

You can do a lot worse than water starwort. My newts are still laying on this plant, I can find recent eggs. They also like brooklime. But seem to make do with anything they can wrap or attempt to wrap.

Thanks for the info and just a little question on the side, is water starwort anything to do with duckweed ? or does it just look alike ?

[Deb London]

No, they are different. Starwort is an oxygenating plant, duckweed floats. Mine have laid in duckweed too, but something with more structure is better I think.

What oxygenators or other plants have you got in you pond?

[Dogghound]

They both show a preference for plants which have small pliable leaves, and tend to use the younger leaves. Although saying that I have found them on broad leaved pondweed, lillies etc. Starworts (short-leaved, common etc) are very good as are fennel like pondweed, willow moss, curled pondweed, mares tail etc.

[GCN lova]

water forget me not is supposed to be a good one.

[N0z]

Originally Posted by Deb London

No, they are different. Starwort is an oxygenating plant, duckweed floats. Mine have laid in duckweed too, but something with more structure is better I think.

What oxygenators or other plants have you got in you pond?

canadian pond weed and hornwort and water starwort (i though the duckweed grew from the starwort cause they look similar)

[N0z]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

They both show a preference for plants which have small pliable leaves, and tend to use the younger leaves. Although saying that I have found them on broad leaved pondweed, lillies etc. Starworts (short-leaved, common etc) are very good as are fennel like pondweed, willow moss, curled pondweed, mares tail etc.

thanks for the info and i google'd mares tail but 2 different types of plant came up , which one is the real one ? http://www.gardenadvice.co.uk/howto/.../horsetail.jpg or http://old.rcplondon.ac.uk/garden/20...6-06%20062.jpg

also thanks GCN lova

[GCN lova]

Originally Posted by N0z

also thanks GCN lova

your welcome. you could also try water cress or water mint.

[Dogghound]

Water cress, water mint and water forget me not are all good for great crested newts but tend to be avoided by smooth/palmate as they are harder for them to create folds in. However all three species are a welcome addition to a wildlife pond.