Plant Spotlight: Lily Alba

White water lilies

Lily Alba (Nymphaea Alba) or—more commonly—white water lily, is the name of this week’s plant spotlight! Its beautiful white petals and canary yellow centers add a neutral yet bright pop to any pond or aquascape. These floating florals bloom between June and September and thrive in up to five feet of water. White water lilies prefer large ponds or lakes where they can spread out to up to five feet per plant with blooms of up to 12 inches in diameter. Lily Alba prefers several hours of direct sunlight per day and can be planted like other tropical lilies, described here. Planting tip: add a few goldfish to your pond to keep away most insect pests and minimize mosquitos! Shop Lily Alba online in-store!

Growing Hardy Water Lilies

This blue water lily is an example of a hardy lily.

Hardy lilies are planted similarly to tropical lilies. Hardies grow horizontally across the aquascape, so a wide pot is necessary for planting. Plant at one edge of the container with the rhizome at a 45-degree angle and the growing tip exposed. Remember to add fertilizer, use rich garden soil, and top the soil with an inch or two of gravel or sand. The plant can be lowered to a depth of six inches, to begin with, and then lowered to a depth of 12 to 18 inches as the plant grows. Hardies should be planted in early spring. They bloom from June through September, depending on the weather, and become dormant during the colder months. As the following spring approaches, growth will begin again. For questions on growing your lilies or any other water plant, contact us here. Happy Aquascaping!

Plant Spotlight: Water Poppy

Water Poppy

Water poppy is a floating perennial aquatic plant. Their bright yellow blooms add a burst of color to ponds and other aquatic environments, and they grow easily in warm temperatures. To add water poppies to your pond or aquascape, select a location that receives direct sun, as this is required for the plant to thrive. Bare root water poppy floating plants can be submerged and planted directly into the soil or be placed into pots with soil that can be sunk into the pond. Water poppies can be grown in any pond with a shallow bottom, as they grow best when submerged about six inches below the surface of the water. Though the yellow blooms only last for one day, water poppies produce flowers continually as long as the water temperature stays at 70 degrees or higher.

Growing Tropical Water Lilies

Tropical Water Lily

Day and night blooming, tropical water lilies should be planted in three to five-gallon pots at least 12 inches in diameter. Fill the pot half full with a rich garden soil and add two to four fertilizer tablets, then continue to fill the pot with soil to about two inches from the top. The plant should be set upright with the roots buried gently in the soil. Make sure the growing tip of the plant is not buried. Next, add an inch or two of gravel or sand in order to prevent the soil from escaping from the container. Remember to keep the gravel away from the crown of the plant. Lower the lily into the water to a depth of approximately six inches. As the plant grows, it can be lowered to a depth of 12 inches. Tropical lilies cannot tolerate cold temperatures and should not be planted until the water reaches at least 70 degrees. Planting too early can cause dormancy and restrict the potential growth of the plant. Tropicals bloom from late spring through early fall, depending on the weather. If you have any questions, we would love to hear from you here. Happy Aquascaping!