Monet loved these summer flowers, and you will too.
These eye-catching, sun-loving plants might just become your new favorite perennials to grow.
Some species are hardy, while othersare tropical.
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Some bloom during the day, others at night.
Floating leaves are rounded, with deep notches at one side where the leafstalk is attached.
Showy flowers either float on the surface or stand above it on stiff stalks."
They are typically left in their containers for planting and submerged in a natural or artificial pond.
Remove yellowing leaves to maintain the health of the plant and water quality.
Soil
Heavy clay or loam soil works best for rooting plants in your pond.
Don’t use potting soil or other lightweight soils, which can float to the surface.
Add a thin layer of gravel over top of the soil to help keep it from clouding the water.
Temperature And Humidity
Naturally, these pond dwellers have no trouble with humid summers.
Tropical water lilies prefer to grow in water that is at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
The American white water lily,Nymphaea odorata, can survive winters in USDA plant hardiness zones 411.
Fertilizer
For the best flowering,fertilize your plantsonce a month during the growing season.
Press aquatic fertilizer tablets into the soil of each container.
Pruning
Remove yellowing leaves and spent blooms from plants as they appear.
Especially in a small pond or water feature, decomposing plant matter will affect water quality.
Removing dead flower heads can also encourage more blooming.
Propagating Water Lilies
Water lilies are propagated by dividing the roots.
Select an aquatic plant pot orplastic potthat is 1418 inches wide.
Line with burlap to keep the soil from washing out of drainage holes.
Fill the pot with a heavy loamgarden soilor clay soil.
Set a rhizome horizontally in the pot on top of the soil with the bud end up.
Small brown water lily beetles cause holes in water lily leaves.
Regularly rinse off beetle larvae or remove adults by hand.
In the fall, remove any growth around the pond where they like to hibernate.
Remove by hand or destroy the affected leaves.
Remove and destroy any affected plants, as this fungal disease will spread to other lilies.
Leaf spot is less serious and causes gray-brown or red spots on the leaves that will eventually rot.
Remove any infected leaves.
How To Get Water Lilies To Bloom
Water lilies need ample sunshine to produce blooms.
If you have not fertilized in the last two months, aquatic fertilizer tablets can help with blooming.
Overcrowded plants may need repotting to make it bloom.
Yellowing Leaves
Yellow leaves on a water lily plant can indicate overwatering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Water lilies need a growing medium in addition to water.
This could be potting mix, sand, or clay soil.
Smaller or dwarf varieties of water lilies can be grown in containers.
You could also try growing water lilies in a fish tank.
