The Water-plants section
At the water-plant section you can find a group of plants that are adapted to live near of in fresh water bodies, such as springs, streams, swamps and vernal ponds. these are unique ecological habitats that support many species of fauna and flora.
Due to over-usage, pollution and development, these habitats have become rare and threatened in Israel. as a result, about a quarter of Israel's red species list (the endangered species) grow in fresh water and swamp habitats. the Botanical Garden was a refuge garden to a population of the European White Waterlily (Nymphaea alba) that were extinct from the Hula lake when it was dehydrated in the 1950's, and were returned to the Hula reserve ass part of the rehabilitation efforts. Blue Water Lily (Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea) and Native Rice Grass (Leersia hexandra) grew in the Yarkon river until it was polluted, and were recently reintroduced there from the refuge garden that is in this section.
The beautiful water-plant bloom mostly in the dry summer season, and colors this section with lovely colors, due to the amount of water that help the plants bloom in the dry season.
There are three main groups of water plants:
- Floating or Immersed plants - their leaves float on the water. among them: Yellow Water-Lily (Nuphar lutea), Blue Water Lily (Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea) and European White Waterlily (Nymphaea alba).
- Erect plants, that are rooted in the water, and most of the plant is above water. among them: Papyrus Sedge (Cyperus papyrus), Common Club-Rush (Scirpus lacustris) and Southern Cattail (Typha domingensis).
- Banks plants, that grow in flooded or muddy areas on the edge of the water. among them: The Oleander (Nerium oleander), Lilac Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) and Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria).
