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!

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.

Plant Spotlight: Mosaic Plant

Ludwigia Sedioides—better known as the Mosaic Plant—presents as three-inch round clusters of small red and green leaves. Its colorful appearance makes the Mosaic plant a favorite among pond aquascapers. Flourishing in calm, warm water, this is the perfect addition to your pond for the summer! Your water temperatures must be 70 to 75 degrees for this tropical plant. Mosaic plants need their water pH to be below eight to survive, as it does not tolerate water with high pH. You can plant Mosaic about six inches below the surface, and the leaf clusters will spread about two feet across. The Mosaic plant is a very unique water garden plant that will spread well in warm water.