One of the most fascinating plants for the backyard pond is the waterlily. Waterlily blooms come in a wide array of colors including blue, purple, red, white, pink and even green! The flowers can appear to be placidly floating on the surface of the water, or they can majestically rise above the water's surface. Foliage color can be equally diverse and dramatic, with colors ranging from the palest of greens, to the darkest of greens, to a deep crimson, to a green with boldly contrasting black mottling. Some lilies have leaves the size of a fifty-cent piece, while others have leaves so large a small child can sit and float on them! The choices in waterlilies are practically infinite.

Most water lilies and other aquatic plants preform very well in the Houston, TX area. You can be asured that we here at Nelson Water Gardens will have only those waterlilies that are proven to thrive in our hot, humid, and, seemingly, endless summers. Here are a few tips on how to ensure that you grow the best plants possible.

• Sunlight-  Water lilies do best in full sunlight. We recommend at least 5-6 hours of full direct sunlight for most lilies to bloom well. Some varieties, however, will bloom with as little as 3-4 hours of full sun. The staff at Nelson Water Gardens is well versed in helping customers select which plants will work best for their pond.
• Soil-  Water lilies grow best in a good quality topsoil that has little or no organic material.  Compost, peat moss and other soil ammendments will float out of the pot and foul the water. Click here for more information on potting aquatic plants.
• Fertilizer- There is a very simple relationship for fertilizers and water lilies.    Fertilizer = Blooms.  Water lilies are very heavy feeders and should be fertilized every 2-3 weeks during the growing season.  Use a well balanced aquatic fertilizer tablet like Pondtabbs regulary to keep plant in peak bloom.
•  Planting container- Drainage is not a issue with aquatic plants. Wide, shallow pots without drainage holes work best for aquatic plants. Avoid mesh baskets which allow soil and nutrients to leach into the pond. Lilies in ornamental ponds are pottetd and pot size limits their growth. The bigger the pot the bigger the plant grows. We recommend at least 1.5 gallon sized containers for most lilies and up to 5 gallon and larger for those who want a dramatic display.
• Water movement-  The sound of moving water is a large part of the enjoyment of a water garden. While I am sure that water lilies and other aquatic plants also enjoy the sound they do not like to be under Niagra Falls. Place your plants in calm, still areas of the pond where they are not subject to splash or spray of water features.
• Repot- Each spring (March-April) your lilies will need to be repotted with fresh topsoil and fertilizer for healthy and more vigorous plants. Failure to repot your water lilies will result in smaller plants and far fewer blooms.

Tropical Water Lilies

• Bloom prolifically in hot Houston summers.
• Produce flowers on tall, sturdy stems held high above the water.
• Flowers are sweetly fragrant and make wonderful cut flowers.
• The only water lilies that can produce blue or purple blooms.
• Overwinter very well in the pond in the Texas Gulf Coast area.
• Have both day and night blooming varieties.

Tropical Day Bloomers

Tropical Day bloomers flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon each day for 4-5 days before the flower is spent. A new bloom is usually there ready to take its place. It is quite common for a well fertilized plant to stay in constant bloom all summer, often with multiple blooms open at one time.

     Shirley Bryne                    Blue Cloud                        Lindsey Woods

Tropical Night Bloomers

Night Blooming lilies, just as the name implies, open their flowers at night just after dark. The flowers will stay open untill 10 or 11 AM before they gracefully close. Just like the day blooming lilies their flowers last 4-5 days. Constant and multiple blooms are common on a well fertilized plant. Flower colors for night bloomers are very vivid shades of pink, red, or white. 

     Missouri                          Antares                              Texas Shell Pink

Hardy Water Lilies

• Bloom during the day.
• Flowers typically last 3-4 days, like their tropical cousins.
• Are available in smaller or dwarf varieties that are more suitable for tub and kettle gardens. 
• Will not be damaged even in the coldest winters.
• Do not bloom as well in the heat as tropical water lilies.

 All hardy water lilies are day blooming, which means that their flowers open and close each day. The blossoms open early in the morning usually after the sun has been up for 1-2 hours and then close up in the afternoon. In general, most hardy water lily flowers close up earlier in the afternoon than their tropical cousins.

There are some newer hybrid hardy water lily varieties, developed in the last few years, that give much better results in our hot and humid climate. Here, at Nelson Water Gardens we offer our customers hardy varieties that we know will preform well in the Houston and Gulf Coast regions.

    Pink Sensation                  Bernice Ikins                      Colorado

For more helpful advice please check out The Plant Lady column which is full of timley reminders on how to care for your aquatic plants.