Plant of the Month: December Menyanthes trifoliata
Latin Name:
Common name:
Menyanthes trifoliata
Bog Bean
This is our Christmas plant of the month – an accolade it receives purely on its Christmassy looks!
Flowering from late March until June, the white, starry flowers of the Bogbean bring life to everything green that surrounds it.
Its common name comes from the leaves which are shaped like little broad beans.
Found in shallow ponds, fens, marshes and bogs, the flowers grow above the water on tall stems.
It’s a valuable native plant that forms floating mats which provide egg laying site for dragonfly as well as being roosting and perching sites for them.
Damselfly nymphs use the stems to climb out of the water ready for their metamorphosis into adults.
Although this will flower best when placed in full sun, it will grow in the shade.
Needs space to spread, so not really suitable for small ponds.