Marginal pond plant
Water figwort
Scrophularia auriculata L.
A clump-forming, herbaceous perennial for permanently damp soil at pond edges and bog gardens; hardy and attractive to pollinators. Grow at the margin rather than submerged and cut back old growth at the end of the season.
PLANT PROFILE
About Water figwort
Water figwort (Scrophularia auriculata) is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial suited to pond margins, marshy ground and bog-garden situations. Sources recommend growing it in permanently damp soil at the water’s edge rather than planting it submerged. Plants produce small yellow-green to reddish-brown two-lipped flowers in clusters on square stems above blunt-toothed, often lobed leaves, and are notable for their wildlife value: they appear on RHS pollinator/wildflower lists and are recommended for wildlife gardens.
Height and spread are reported in slightly different ranges by authorities: RHS gives 50–100 cm and Plantlife lists about 40–80 cm; RHS also lists a spread of 50–100 cm, so allow room at margins for a substantial clump. It tolerates a range of soil types (clay, chalk, loam, sand) provided the ground remains permanently damp, and prefers full sun to partial shade. RHS lists its hardiness as H7 (very hardy).
Cultivation is straightforward where damp conditions are available: plant at the pond edge or in a bog garden and avoid full submersion. Propagation is by seed or by division (spring or autumn). Cut back all old growth to ground level at the end of the growing season; the plant dies back and re-shoots from the perennial rootstock in spring. Pests recorded include slugs, caterpillars and figwort weevils, but the species is generally disease-free. Freshwater Habitats and other sources record it commonly in wetland surveys across the UK, and no statutory restrictions on cultivation or sale were identified in the consulted sources.
The supplied sources do not give numeric planting-depth or water-depth ranges in centimetres, nor do they explicitly state suitability limits for very small ponds, so those details are not established here. Also, the species is treated as a marginal/emergent wetland plant and is not described as a submerged oxygenator.
POND SUITABILITY