For the most part, flower plants are seen growing on the ground. However, many flower species also grow underwater in oceans. Because these flowers are not as common as a lot of the popular flowers, such as sunflowers and roses, which are grown in fields, a lot of you may know little about underwater flowers.
To teach you a little more about them, we have listed 8 underwater flowers found in ocean and freshwater. Moreover, we have added a brief description of each of these flowers so you can take away more knowledge from this article.
Flowers That Bloom in Ocean
Kelp
Anyone who has gone sea diving before may have seen kelp before because it is an extremely common underwater plant. Kelps are a type of algae seaweed, and they are brown. They are widely known for being very long, and a lot of the time, they are responsible for making underwater forests.
It turns out that kelp is very nutritious, contains high iodine content, and has several health benefits. Hence, humans also incorporate kelp into their diets by cooking it or even eating it raw. Moreover, kelp often acts as an important part of fishes’ and other herbivores’ diets.
Anemone
Anemones can be grown on the ground as well, but here we are talking about sea anemones. Sea anemones look like flowers usually, but they are predatory animals. They are thought to be cousins of jellyfish and coral.
The reason behind this is that it is a polyp that stings fishes with its poisonous tentacles. When sea anemones are resting, they look just like flowers because their venomous tentacles surround their mouth like petals. The tentacles are very sensitive, so any slight movement around them will cause the other creature to be paralyzed with its poison.
Milfoil
Milfoil is not a plant with a good reputation because it is an invasive species ruining the water quality. This species comes from Asia, Northern Africa, and Europe. Generally, they grow in shallow water, but the roots can sometimes grow up to 10m deep.
The stem of this plant is circled by feathery green leaves in multiple segments. The blooms of Milfoil are small, and they are usually red or white. These flowers come afloat around when summer ends.
Flowers That Bloom in Freshwater
Eelgrass
The formal name of eelgrass is Vallisneria Americana, and it is considered to be a freshwater plant. They are also often known as subaquatic vegetation (SAV). These plants grow in relatively shallow water of about 3-9 feet in depth, and they grow to about 3 feet in length.
Eelgrass helps with water clarity because it holds down the mud and silt underwater. A lot of marine herbivores also feed on eelgrass. They form beds that can act as a safe spot for newborn marine animals to take shelter in. This plant is crucial to a healthy aquatic system.
Duckweed
If you have seen a garden with floating plants, then you may have seen duckweed there because this tiny floating plant is very popular for gardening these days. They are very small, and they float on freshwater with their simple body structure, which looks like tiny oval-shaped leaves.
This plant is seen in a large portion of lakes, ponds, and any freshwater bodies in the world. There are many species of duckweed, and they are in the Lemna genus. Duckweeds grow together on a freshwater surface, and they form a beautiful green mat. They only have minuscule unisexual flowers that either have one pistil or stamen.
Lotus
Lotus is a very well-known aquatic plant, so you may have seen it in real life or must have at least seen pictures of it before. Also known by its formal name Nelumbo nucifera, this flower is highly valued in cultures and religions across the world.
This flowering plant grows and floats on the surface of freshwater bodies. They are seen to be blooming a lot in slow-moving rivers quite often. Flowers blooming from this plant are white or pink and make for a very appealing water feature. The flowers float on their rounded leaves, close up at night and bloom again in the morning.
Hornwort
Often seen in aquariums, hornwort is a bright green aquatic plant that can be both submerged and free-floating. The formal name of this plant is Ceratophyllum demersum. And it also goes by the names coon’s tail, coontail, and rigid hornwort. This plant can grow anywhere from 1 to 3 feet in length and has several side shoots which give it its bushy appearance.
The flowers of this flower are very tiny, 2mm in length to exact, and have over 8 petals that are a greenish shade of brown. Since they form in the leaf axils, they are covered by the bushy and brittle leaves and can’t be seen.
Water Lily
Water lilies are undoubtedly one of the most beautiful floating flowers that you will ever see. They look a lot like lotus but have some distinct features. They have rounded waxy leaves, and the stems go into the mud underwater. This plant also grows at a ridiculously fast rate, and the leaves can grow to be as much as 3 meters in width.
The flowers usually have pink or white petals spirally arranged the yellow central stamens. Like the lotus, some water lilies also close during the night and open in the morning.
Resources:
https://www.floweraura.com/blog/about-these-beautiful-underwater-flowers
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/facts/sea-anemones
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_anemone
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelp
https://www.encyclopedia.com/plants-and-animals/plants/plants/duckweed
https://www.allthingsnature.org/what-is-a-lotus.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceratophyllum_demersum#Invasive_status
http://www.invadingspecies.com/invaders/aquatic-plants/eurasian-water-milfoil/
https://www.britannica.com/plant/water-lily#ref347239