The Good, The Better, and the Spectacular

Waterlilies in Florida: The Basics 

by Paula Biles

 Waterlilies grow from the far north to the tropics and are among the oldest flowering plants. Their unique aquatic habitat and showy flowers make them as fascinating today as they were to the Chippewa, who believed waterlilies were “stars that fell from the sky.” We are especially lucky in Florida because we can grow and enjoy so many varieties for most of the year.

 Growing Conditions

The perfect waterlily habitat has calm protected water with full sun, just like their natural shallow pond environment. Lily pads float on the surface, but their roots anchor firmly in the mud. Each leaf lasts 2 to 4 weeks, then yellows and dies. Lilies thrive on light and warmth, so they do not like deep water. Most ornamental ponds are 18-30 inches deep, ideal for maximum growth and flowering.

Waterlily blossoms open and close daily, each lasting about 3 or 4 days. When and how long a plant will bloom depends upon the variety. Some open in early morning and close by noon. Others stay open most of the day. The perfect choice for working people is a tropical night bloomer, which opens just after dark and closes late the next morning. If lilies receive less than 4 to 6 hours of sunlight, flowering declines.

 Gone to Pot

In earth-bottom ponds, a waterlily spreads way out on the surface and in the mud. Space is limited in backyard ponds and tub water gardens, so it’s best to contain them in pots. Lilies grow horizontally, so wide shallow pots are best. There are countless options, including plastic no-hole pots, fabric bags and mixing tubs for concrete. Containerized lilies are easily moved and maintained. The bigger the pot, the better a lily will grow, with less need for fertilizing or repotting. However, the container will be heavy. Use the largest pot you and your pond can handle.

Lilies are heavy feeders and need constant nutrients from their roots to replenish lost leaves and flowers. An ideal soil is heavy loam, a foreign substance in most of Florida where “soil” is often sand. Our most convenient option is topsoil, either local or bagged. It can be amended with composted cow manure, bone meal and a little clay if available. Never use potting soil. It contains perlite and/or other things that float or alter the water pH. It makes a big mess and causes multiple problems.

Control-release fertilizers with micronutrients can be mixed into the topsoil when planting. Aquatic plant tabs also work, but they release nutrients more slowly and are better for later in the season. A more extravagant option is specialty waterlily fertilizer; it’s expensive but worth it. The preferred planting method is to add fertilizer only to the bottom layer of topsoil in the pot. This minimizes nutrients entering pond water where they can promote algae growth.

The critical part of planting a waterlily is to keep the growing tip exposed above the soil; it will die if covered. If you put pebbles or rocks on the soil to deter curious fish, the tip should also protrude above them. Lilies need light and warmth to grow. They’ll die if you bury them.

 Maintenance and Pests

Waterlilies require little care after planting, especially after using time-release fertilizer. In a small pond or tub water garden, trimming pads may be necessary to see your fish or reveal more water surface. Some growers cut off yellowing leaves and finished blooms to save the plant’s energy for flowers. It also neatly removes decaying material from the pond. Other lily lovers prefer the low-maintenance, hands-off approach. It’s a matter of personal preference.

Few pests attack waterlilies and you can help keep them away by gently spraying the leaves whenever you top off the pond. If you ever have insect problems, there are biological controls that are safe for you and your fish.

All the plant’s nutrients are inside the container. If available space or nutrients run out, flowering and growth will slow down, then eventually stop. How often you repot depends upon the variety, growing season length, pot size and fertilizing schedule. In general, tropical lilies usually grow faster than hardies and may need to be repotted every year for maximum blooms.

 Hardy or Tropical?

The waterlily family (Nymphaea) is divided into two general categories - hardy and tropical. Most hardies have a northern origin and are adapted to cold climates. In general, their growth characteristics are low key. The tuber grows horizontally, lily pads are round and green, flowers float on the water, blooms are pastel colors and unscented, and the season is summer to fall.

Tropicals originated in warmer regions and have a flashy lifestyle. The tubers are round, flowers rise high above the surface, blossom colors are intense and also come in blue and purple, flowers are fragrant and more numerous, and the season may be year round in zones 9b and 10. Other characteristics of tropicals include ovate leaves that may be multicolored, night-blooming varieties, cultivars that form plantlets on their leaves (like Kalanchoe), and large - very large - species.

Like other transplants from the north (people and plants), some hardy waterlilies cannot adapt to our climate. They sunburn easily or need cold to thrive. Most red cultivars don’t do well, especially in central and southern Florida. The hardy varieties that do best are yellow and salmon colored, because their parentage often includes one of Florida’s native waterlilies. This yellow hardy thinks it’s a tropical and its offspring hold their blooms slightly above the water surface, almost like a tropical.

Water gardeners “up north” have to buy tropicals every year. Lucky us! We can grow them to their full gorgeous potential AND leave them in our ponds year round. In south Florida they may even bloom all year, although growth slows from December to March.

The Energizer-Bunny Plant

Waterlilies are among the easiest, least demanding and most rewarding plants. Once you get them started, they keep going and going...without weeding, chemicals, watering or additional costs. Try one. You’ll fall in love with gardening again, in a whole new way.

Waterlily Cheat Sheet: Hardy or Tropical?

The two waterlily categories have distinct differences. Unfortunately, a waterlily name doesn’t indicate its category. Your only options are to examine the lily pads and flowers, or memorize hundreds of individual lily names. Both types are diverse, but tropicals have more variety and color intensity. They are also showier, bloom like there’s no tomorrow, and are well-suited to Florida.

Breeders unsuccessfully tried to cross hardy and tropical waterlilies for over 150 years. Recently some remarkable hybridizers mastered the secret, with dazzling results. In the next few years their creations will become available as ISG (intersubgeneric) waterlilies.

Years ago, Paula Biles was diagnosed with CPO (chronic plant obsession). Her constant compulsion led to an obvious treatment — water gardening. Initial treatment was to build ponds with waterlilies. Further therapy was to teach and write about water gardens and aquatics. Finally, she became active in the International Waterlily & Water Gardening Society, co-authored a medal-winning book on lotus, and traveled to the Amazon and Thailand. Paula is married and lives in Bradenton, Florida, where thanks to water gardening, her disease is now in remission.

© 2014 Paula Biles. Originally published in Florida Gardening, Feb / Mar 2014. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.