Hardy Water Lilies
Hardy Water Lilies for koi ponds and water gardens
Water lilies are among the most frequently used types of pond plant in North America; this is because it is so obvious how attractive they are to us when we see their spectacular blooms! Hardy water lilies can not only survive winter periods at freezing temperatures, but they will also return to bloom every spring for us without needing any extra care from us. Hardy water lilies will provide a wide range of color (from the purest white through to the deepest pink) and will help provide natural balance and visual harmony to large garden ponds, smaller koi ponds, small backyard water features or fountains built in containers that we add in our homes, etc. for the entire year.
Every hardy water lily plant that we offer is carefully selected by our grower's for the health of its roots, the structure of its rhizomes, and the possibility of a beautiful bloom. Our plants are shipped as bare root tubers with 8"-12" growth. We have hardy water lilies in all types of colors including: White; Pink; Red; Yellow; Peach; Color-changing. We have compact dwarf-type (for small ponds) to spreading types for larger water gardens.
In addition to their aesthetics, hardy water lilies are functional additions to your pond. The floating pads created lily provide shade to the pond water, thereby limiting the growth of excess algae and providing fish with places to rest and escape from the hot weather during the summer months. Hardy water lilies require minimal maintenance and can live for many years, making them one of the top investments you can make for your pond.
What Makes Pond Owners Love Hardy Water Lilies?
Hardy water lilies will go into a deep sleep during winter and awaken during spring and require no digging, greenhouse or special storage for the winter.
Spring to autumn is when flowers bloom. Everyday the open in the morning and close in the evening. Flowers may be found in every color except black red and yellow; plus many more colors that change according to the time of day. Lily pads grow over water preventing the sun from penetrating the water surface and reducing algae without using chemical herbicides. For effective algae control, 50-70 % of the water should be covered by water plants.
Koi and pond keepers can be rest assured that hardy water lilies will create a safe and pleasant environment for all types of koi and pond fish. Koi enjoy the protection that lily pads provide and the roots of water lily plants provide habitat for beneficial microorganisms in the pond. Small ponds will benefit from using miniature and dwarf versions of water lilies. These smaller varieties will work well in a small pond, small container water garden, or small fountain. Containers as small as 15 gallons are ideal for using miniature and dwarf water lilies.
Lilies Work in most pond types Hardy lilies thrive in still garden ponds, fish ponds, koi ponds, preformed liners, half-barrel containers, and backyard water features.
How to Plant Hardy Water Lilies
1. Pick out a wide and shallow container as your plant pot. Use either a waterplanting basket or solid pot; standard varieties should be 14 - 16 inches wide and dwarf varieties should be 10 - 12 inches wide. Wide and shallow out performs tall and narrow because the rhizomes grow out in all directions.
2. When filling up your container with an aquatic substrate, use either heavy-clay-based or natural (unprocessed) clay substrates. Do not use standard potting soil because they will float in the water and also create cloudiness.
3. When planting a rhizome, plant it at a 45 degree angle with the cut edges up against the pot wall and the tips of the new plants toward the middle of the pot. Fill in around the plant with the substrate, leaving only the tip of the new plant just above the surface of the substrate.
4. Finish by adding pea gravel. A 1" layer of washed pea gravel will secure the soil in place and stop any fish from disturbing the plant roots.
5. Gradually lower the container. Start by placing the container so it is 6" - 12" below the water's surface. Decrease the depth until the final depth of 18" - 24" (standard) or 12" - 18" (dwarf) is reached as the plant grows and develops new pads.
6. Choose a planted location with daily exposure to 5-6 hours of sun or more. When planting hardy water lilies, it is important to place them where they will receive a minimum of 5-6 hours of direct sunshine daily to provide a reliable blooming plant. Providing more than 6 hours of direct sunlight daily will provide the greatest amount of blooms; shading your lily will cause an overall significant reduction in the number of blooms produced by the plant.
7. Lilies are heavy feeder. Use monthly fertilizer tabs for healthier and fuller looking lilies.
Standard Hardy Water Lilies
Coverage area 4-6 square feet, suitable for ponds larger than 100 gallons Size and Color: hardy water lilies come in a range of colors including: white, pink, red, yellow, or peach, and bloom from late spring until early fall in all growing regions / Hardy Water Lilies: come in dwarf and miniature; they are smaller than hardy water lilies in size, with a footprint between 1-3 sq ft. They are also designed for use in small ponds, container garden ponds and barrel water features with less than 100 gallons of water.
Hardy Water Lilly Varieties
These flowers bloom in multiple colors throughout their 3-4 day blooming period, many times starting out yellow and changing to pink, orange, or copper through maturation. Hardy water lilies are an intriguing visual addition to any water garden/Koi Ponds.
All types of hardy water lilies are koi-safe. When stocking koi ponds heavily, it is best to select hardy water lilies with thick rhizomes that will withstand being nibbled. It's advisable to place a layer of gravel on top of new plantings and use a mesh guard until established.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are hardy water lilies?
There are several species of hardy water lilies, Nymphaea, which are perennial aquatic plants that thrive in a pond or water garden. Hardy water lilies emerge in the late spring and bloom through the early fall, producing attractive blooms & a great many green floating leaves, also called lily pads. Other lily type called Tropical water lilies can only survive in areas that do not freeze; while hardy water lilies will return annually without removing them from the pond. For this reason, hardy water lilies are the most practical option for most pond owners in North America.
Q: Are hardy water lilies good for koi ponds?
Absolutely!! The best plants for koi ponds are hardy water lilies because they provide shade and lower the water temperature in the summer months. They also offer shelter to the fish from predators and aid in maintaining the biological balance of your pond. Your koi fish might taste the young growth coming from your newly planted water lilies, so it's a good idea to place some gravel and mesh over newly planted ones until they are established. Established plants should be able to withstand koi activity just fine.
Q: How much sun do hardy water lilies need?
To bloom reliably, hardy waterlilies require at least 5-6 hours of direct sunlight each day. They can survive in shadier areas, but will likely produce few or no flowers. Plants positioned in full sun for 6 or more hours will produce the most vigorous plants and greatest number of flowers throughout the season.
Q: How deep should water lilies be planted?
Most standard hardy water lily plants usually grow best at a constant depth of 18-24 inches from the top of its root ball, while miniature and dwarf varieties will generally thrive better in 12-18 inches of water. When planting a new lily, it would be advisable to begin with a depth of 6-12 inches and then move down to their permanent planting depth of 18-24 inches as these plants develop and send up new pads. Max published depth is for mature plants only.
Q: Do hardy water lilies come back every year?
Indeed. Hardy water lilies are perennials that thrive in USDA Zones 4 to 10 (most of the U.S. and a large part of Canada). They will be dormant from fall until spring till water temperatures rise enough for them to start growing again. When you have a pond that freezes solid, you can either move your pots to the deepest part of the pond or store them indoors in a frost-free area until spring.
Q: What is the difference between hardy and tropical water lilies?
Water Lilies that are Hardy can endure frigid winter weather and will continue to return every year in almost every single North American climate. On the other hand, tropical water lilies are required to be moved indoors prior to the initial freezing and are therefore treated like annuals in most areas. Hardy water lilies bloom during day called Day Blooming Tropical lilies whereas several varieties of tropical water lilies open at night called Night Blooming Tropical lilies Because of this, hardy water lilies are the best option for most pond owners in all areas of the United States including in warmer southern climates where they require the least amount of care.
Q: Can I grow water lilies in a small pond?
Absolutely! Dwarf and miniature (hardy) water lily varieties have been developed for use in small ponds, as well as in water gardens made from containers and half barrels. Plant them in pots that are 8 to 10 inches in diameter and place them 12 inches or more below the waterline. As long as the site gets five or more hours of direct sunlight per day, then a small water feature could also be used to grow beautiful water lilies.
Q: How many water lilies do I need for my pond?
For your pond's surface area, try to have 50-70% covered in floating pads or in combination with other aquatic plants (enough to shade the water and help slow down algae, but still allow for access to the water). For example, if you have a pond that has 100 square feet of area, you could use 1-2 standard sized floating pads or 3-5 miniature floating pads at the start. You may want to start off with a few floating pads and add more as you see how much space they take up after growing for one season.
Q: Where can I buy hardy water lily plants?
Online purchase is available for robust water lily plants at Puget Sound Ponds. We deliver healthy, bare root lily tubers. Select from an array of standard, dwarf and specialty species appropriate to your pond's size and depth requirements by reviewing our complete inventory of plant types.
Why Buy from Puget Sound Ponds
Puget Sound Ponds is an aquatic plant supplier that specializes in growing aquatic plants for use in ponds. We have only one goal: to provide hardy plants that can grow well in a pond environment. We source our aquatic plants from reputable growers who have been providing quality plants since 1980. Each root and rhizome of our lilies and other aquatic plants are inspected by our expert growers to ensure they remain moist and protected from damage during the shipping process.
We're water gardeners and so we know how to create and develop a lovely, healthy water garden. With our Satisfaction Guarantee on every plant sold, we guarantee each plant will arrive in good condition, or we will resolve the issue quickly.
We are passionate pond people, so we know how important it is for you to have a lovely pond ecosystem and a healthy water garden.
