Water Lily Flower Care Guide: How to Grow Water Lilies

Water lily is the common name given to flowering plants in the botanical family Nymphaeaceae. Not to be confused with lotus flowers (Nelumbo), another aquatic plant species, water lilies are flowering pond plants that grow from tubers planted in the soil in a body of water. They produce thick green leaves called lily pads that float on the surface of the water. Water lily flowers vary depending on the species and bloom in a variety of yellows, pinks, whites, and reds. The genus Nymphaea inspired Impressionist painter Claude Monet, who produced nearly 250 oil paintings of the water plants.

Water lilies fall into two basic categories.

1. 1. Hardy water lilies: Hardy water lilies flourish in areas of North America where winter temperatures drop below zero degrees. They won't produce flowers in the winter, but as long as their tubers remain below the freeze line, they'll keep producing new pads and flowers each spring. When cared for properly, hardy water lilies thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 3–11.
2. 2. Tropical water lilies: Tropical water lilies thrive in warm, tropical climates, existing as perennial plants in Hardiness Zones 10–11. Outside of those zones, tropical water lilies are typically planted as annuals. If you want to keep them over winter and replant them in the spring, remove them from the water lily pond, clean them off, and store them in a bucket of moist sand in a cool basement. Tropical water lily plants are either day bloomers or night bloomers and tend to have larger, more fragrant blooms than hardy water lilies.

There are over 50 known species of water lily—each with its own unique cultivars—so start by familiarizing yourself with these popular varieties.

1. 1. White water lily: Also called the American white water lily, white water lilies produce a showy display of white flowers that bloom during the day. When planted in full sun, its lily pads can reach up to 12 inches across.
2. 2. Pink water lily: One of the most common water lily plants, these lilies have bright yellow stamens and soft pink flowers.
3. 3. ‘Helvola’ water lily: Helvola water lilies are hardy and ideal for small ponds since they only spread about three feet. They produce small, bright yellow flowers.
4. 4. ‘Arc en Ciel’ water lily: These winter-hardy water lilies have light pink, star-shaped flowers and pads bespeckled with maroon, pink, and white blotches.
5. 5. ‘Pygmaea Rubra’ water lily: This hardy water lily has round leaves and cup-shaped flowers packed around delicate stamens. They come in an impressive range of showy reds and pinks.

After taking the time to establish water lilies, they’re relatively easy plants to maintain.

1. 1. Find a sunny location. Water lilies need at least four hours of bright sunlight daily. Find a sunny spot in your pond or position an aquatic container in a bright location in your garden before planting water lilies.
2. 2. Prepare your container. A pond covered in water lilies might be beautiful, but complete coverage can kill other plants and wildlife below. Grow water lilies in containers to reduce the amount they can spread in your pond. Fill a large plastic container designed for aquatic plants with heavy clay soil, leaving about three inches of space between the soil’s surface and the top of the container.
3. 3. Plant your water lily tuber. Place a single tuber near the edge of the container with the top pointing up. Cover the base of the tuber with topsoil and a layer of pea gravel to prevent the soil from drifting away in the water.
4. 4. Submerge the container. Submerge the container with your freshly planted water lily into the pond, leaving at least four inches of space between the top of the pot and the water’s surface. If the pond or water feature is deeper, pile rocks to elevate the container so that the top is no deeper than 18 inches beneath the surface of the water.
5. 5. Apply fertilizer directly to the soil. About once a month, apply fertilizer pellets formulated for aquatic use. Place the fertilizer pellets directly into the soil to avoid interfering with the surrounding pond water’s pH.

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