Water Violet

[tarl]

I have just repaired my pond and have started to restock, (after 4 yrs)
It's a concrete one so after it was filled with water I had the pump brakeing the water for a few days to get rid of any clorine. About 5 days later I placed oxygenating plants in the
bottom, by the way it's about 3ft deed with a ledge about 18" down.
On the shelf I placed two Water Violet's and some reeds.
About 3/4 days later I added some more plants. Now for some reason the two Water Violets have lost all the leaves and just left storks, I bought another water Violet and within 4 days its happened again the leaves have started to disappear, any one have any idears???
The pump is still brakeing the water.

Thanks for any info.
Tarl

[catalaze]

This is probably not very encouraging but I've always found Water Violet (Hottonia palustris) very difficult (if not impossible) to establish in a pond. In the wild, it inhabits more or less still water, so a vigorous water movement won't be to its liking. It is also true that it thrives in chalk dykes - but if you're concrete the water may well be alkaline.

The other possibility is that your supplier isn't very good. If the plants have been kept in warm water to make them grow quickly, the transfer might kill them. On the other hand, maybe they aren't dead, just temporarily leafless. You could hang onto them 'til next spring to see if they sprout again. Or try a different supplier when your pond is once again becalmed.

[Tiggrx]

Water Violet is a very difficult plant to establish. I have read that for best success it should be planted no later than April.

[tarl]

Thanks Catalaze and Tiggrx
I wondered if it was animal/insect causing the problem.
I have lifted them out of the pond so I'll see if they recover.
All the other plants seem to be fine so I'll leave it another week or so before I add
Some fish.
Thanks for the feed back.
Tarl