15 Aquatic Plants For Ducks: What Are The Safest?

Waterfowl love to spend their time in the water. And while roaming around as a forager, they look for aquation vegetation in ponds or wetlands. But they never know some plants carry toxicity or poison!

But it’s okay. Because I got the safest aquatic plants for ducks. You can collect them to feed or let them eat plants as their natural diet for some nutrition. Surprisingly, ducks balance the food chain and ecological system of ponds. Besides, they keep the biomass healthy. Mainly, algae, duckweed, lettuce, celery, and water hyacinth are the top pick as the safest!

Now you may know why ducks eat such plants and what are the benefits, right? You’ll get your answer in the next section. Because our main concentration is on safe aquatic plants.

List Of Safe Plants For Ducks – Pond Plants Ducks Love The Most!

With a symbiotic relationship, ducks have food sources from aquatic plants. A significant supporting natural diet part! Besides, the ponds have a balanced ecosystem. According to ThoughtCo, it’s mutualism where ducks interact with aquatic plants.

Why I am saying it is all a safe zone because such plants not only boost health condition but also helps with breeding. As such, plants help with nesting and shelter.

However, let me discuss why I picked these 15 aquatic plants as the duck’s diet.

1. Algae – Muscovy Loves The Most!

With no poisonous compound, algae can be a safe floating plant for waterfowl. It can be their supplementary food source with essential nutrients.

Notably, ducks gonna have benefits such as:

• Better immunity
• Good feather and plumage
• Proper digestion.

Note: Avoid the blue algae as it’s toxic.

2. Duckweed – Great Nourishment Plant!

According to NPR, the duck and duckweed relationship is the perfect example of symbiosis. Here, duckweed is a safe aquatic plant for the ducks, where waterfowl allow duckweed to hitch a ride in their poop.

However, if ducks eat such plants, it potentially benefits in ways like:

• Ensures better digestion
• Improvement in muscle tissue
• Good feather condition
• Boost energy
• Good vision.

Note: Don’t let the duck eat duckweed excessively because of antinutritional elements.

3. Water Lettuce – Hydration Booster

Water lettuce is another safe aquatic plant that looks like cabbage leaves. It’s healthy and nutritious for avians which deprives algae. So, the pond condition remains good and it benefits the duck’s health.

But how do ducks get a boost?

• Such plants reduce the algae blooms by blocking the sunlight.
• Give a hydration boost as it contains high water.

Note: Be a little concerned about calcium oxalate as it burns the mouth or causes kidney damage. So, I prefer to feed cooked form as it reduces the amount.

4. Water Lillies – Safe But Excessive Is Poisonous!

Not being a primary food source, water lilies can provide shelter, a resting place, and protection from predators. And it keeps the wetland environment in good condition.

Note: Researchers say water Lilly carries an alkaloid known as nupharin. So, don’t let the duck eat it excessively.

5. Water Hyacinth – High Water Intake

Researchers say, that for filtering wastewater from the duck farm, water hyacinth is a good idea. Also, the harvested one is good as ducks feed. Most notably if ducks consume such plants, they won’t have to encounter dehydration.

Although ducks may nibble on such plants, it does not fulfill their daily need. So, call it free nutrition!

Note: It contains iron and sodium so overconsumption is a trouble!

6. Celery Plant – Wild And Water!

In Eastern North America, water celery or tape grass is a perfect submerged freshwater plant for ducks. Ducks just love to enjoy the submerged parts, tubers, and seeds. And they get some essential nutrients from it.

You can even consider it as a forage plant for wildlife. However, I found some notable benefits when ducks consume some.

• The water celery contains carbs, fiber, and mineral intake so ducks get an overall health boost.
• Vitamin C and minerals like calcium and potassium potentially help with growth and bone development.
• Water amount also contributes to the duck’s health by making them hydrated.

Note: Researchers, found psoralens is there in celery plants. So, don’t let the duck consume excessively.

7. Coontail – Ideal Wildlife Plant

Being a protector of amphibians or aquatic larvae, coontail can provide some nutrients to waterfowl. More significantly the seeds and fruits are ducks’ favorite occasional food source in nature. 

Such plants, fruit, and seeds offer benefits such as:

• Helps to keep the balanced water quality that ducks prefer.
• The fiber intake in the coontail supports digestion and gut health.

Note: Make sure the plant is not polluted or contaminated.

8. Pennsylvania Smartweed – Nutritious!

Whether it’s ducks or geese, they just love to consume smartweed. It’s excellent as a wildlife food source, especially for waterfowl. 

Around 20 species of ducks love to eat the seeds. And while foraging for natural food sources, ducks don’t forget to consume some smartweed.

However, I don’t think I should overlook the beneficial part!

• Ducks need protein intake and such plants have some along with carbs and minerals. Notably in leaves, stems, and seeds.
• The fiber intake will ensure better digestion.
• Keeps the water quality good, so the ducks stay there for a while.

Note: There might be an excessive amount of nitrite, which is bad. So, monitor the duck while they are near the smartweed.

9. Yellow-flag Iris – Safe But Not Necessary

Ducks love aquatic herbaceous plants so yellow Irish is on the list! It doesn’t carry any poisonous element, so don’t stop the duck from eating such plants. It’s safe and secure!

In truth, ducks don’t require such plants to fulfill their need. They only eat when they become hungry. But one thing I love the most is that the tall and sword-like leaves can give shelter and helps nest for birds or ducks.

Note: Such plants are invasive and displace the native vegetation. However, if ducks consume some, it’s okay. But excessive may hurt the livestock.

10. Broadleaf Arrowhead – Shallow Wetland Plant

Also known as duck potato, the arrowhead plant is a friendly edible perennial. In general, ducks prefer to have arrowheads to have some nutrients. But I guess tubers are the most healthy food source.

• Leaves and stems are the sources of carbs and fiber for proper digestion.
• Ducks require energy during the migration or winter time. And they’ll have it when consume some arrowhead plants.

Note: If the leaves contain 3 veins, let the duck stay away. It’s toxic! But more veins on leaves is a safe type of arrowhead plant.

11. Soft Rush – Protector But Not Highly Nutritious!

A safe type of grass in water for avians. Ducks in ponds love to consume such plants to have some nutrients. As a natural food source of domestic livestock, vegetative parts and seeds are the best for waterfowl. 

They can even hide in it when predators are seen. But I didn’t find any significant nutrition in it. But it’s not gonna hurt the duck if they eat some.

One more thing! The ducks can also be good with the hard rush. But the pest-free option is the best to grow faster for ducks.

Note: Don’t let them eat excessively, such aqua-plants are nothing but an occasional food source when ducks don’t find adequate nutrition.

12. Pond Sedge – Evergreen Perennial

Sedge as Fiber optic grass keeps the water quality in a better condition where it can also be a part of ducks’ natural diet. Although it won’t provide any significant health benefits, it will give a boost to their overall health. Because ducks have it when they are in need of food.

Note: Poor condition sedge may carry pathogens or pests, so be careful!

13. Swamp Sunflower – Completely Non-Toxic

If you prefer to grow plants in the duck pond, I suggest making swamp sunflowers. Ducks, fish, and even other animals can eat such plants. ASPCA says such narrow-leaved sunflower is non-toxic for cats, dogs, and even horses.

A uniqueness is here! Due to the attractiveness of such plants, insects get closer. And it’s when ducks get comfortable foraging in areas with some insects.

So, your ducks are going to get some:

• Protein (Because of eating insects)
• Vitamin
• Mineral and more.

Note: Avoid the ducks from overconsumption. They’ll potentially have gastrointestinal problems.

14. Smooth Frogbit – Ducks Favorite South American Spongeplant

Frogbit as a floating plant is commonly known as a natural food and shelter for freshwater invertebrates, insects, and fish. In the wild, such plants are going to be high in nutrition and remain as ample light exposure. Let’s see how ducks have some benefits from it.

• Carbs in frogbits give energy to ducks.
• Protein intake will help with muscle development and overall body functioning.
• Fiber will promote digestion and gut motility.
• Vitamins and minerals will contribute to fluid balance and nerve function.

Note: If you grow such plants in the duck pond, remember that such plants don’t allow you to grow other native plants. 

15. Smooth Frogbit – Fast-Growing Natural Pond Plant

A special gift for wild ducks in the water is Sago Pondweed! Diving ducks, like ducks or swans, enjoy such submerged aquatic plants to have some nutrition. If you notice the ducks in the pond, you’ll see them mostly near the pondweed.

Such aquatic plants provide almost the same health benefits such as:

• Ensures better digestion by providing fiber.
• Offer carbohydrates for energy absorption.
• Gives a boost to overall health for growth.

Note: Avoid feeding excessively! It’s not a regular part of the diet.

Aquatic Pond Plants Ducks Won’t Eat: What Are Unsafe?

So, I covered talking about the best aquatic plants for ducks. But my mind couldn’t stay here! 

I should inform the unsafe aquatic plants as ducks cannot define what’s good and bad. If you see them near these plants, just let them stay away!

1. Water Hemlock: Highly poisonous Cicutoxin is there.
2. Cherokee Sedge: Not toxic, but it becomes problematic in summer climates.
3. Starrush Whitetop: It contains cyanogenic glycoside that releases hydrogen cyanide, a toxic element for ducks’ health.
4. Broomsedge Bluestem: It’s allopathic that produces toxins.
5. Water Arum: Have risky oxalates that cause discomfort.
6. Water Shield: It’s tough for the ducks to ingest.
7. Water Milfoil: Not all of them, but some of them are toxic.
8. Wild Parsnip: It contains psoralens, a phototoxic that irritates animals like ducks. It creates conditions like phytophotodermatitis in ducks.

Our Recommended Read: Plant Diet for Ducks

Summarizing The Article

Whether you have ducks on the farm or in the yard, they’ll definitely visit the pond for aquatic plants. Because it’s their natural food source. But I don’t think they should eat any type of plants they find in the water or wetlands since some of them are toxic.

So, in case you think about aquatic plants for ducks, I’ve listed the safest and the poisonous ones as well. Or when it’s in the developed duck pond, observe how much they eat. Excessive things always bring something bad! So, aquatic plants should be an occasional treat.

Sources And References:

• https://www.npr.org/transcripts/690818386
• https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/swamp-sunflower
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7285960/