What are the common cultivated varieties of water lilies? This article gives you an overview
Water lilies have large flowers and beautiful leaves, and are fragrant. They generally open around 12 noon to 3-4 pm, close after sunset, open again the next day, and can bloom continuously for 3-5 days. Common cultivated water lilies include: 1. White water lily. Flowers white and large, 10-15 cm in diameter, petals 16-24, arranged in 2-3 whorls
Water lilies have large flowers and beautiful leaves, and are fragrant. They generally open around 12 noon to 3-4 pm, close after sunset, open again the next day, and can bloom continuously for 3-5 days. Common cultivated water lilies include:
1. White water lily. Flowers white and large, 10-15 cm in diameter, petals 16-24, arranged in 2-3 whorls, fragrant, blooms in summer.
2. Yellow water lily. Flowers bright yellow, about 10 cm in diameter.
3. Red water lily. Flowers deep red, 12-20 cm in diameter, petals 12-16, blooms in summer.
4. Fragrant water lily. Flowers white to pale red, about 15 cm in diameter, fragrant, blooms in summer, flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon.
5. Blue water lily. Flowers pale blue, petals 30-50 arranged in 3 whorls, slightly fragrant, blooms in summer.
In addition, there is the large water lily, with bright blue flowers; the tuberous water lily, with white flowers; the Egyptian water lily, with pale purple flowers and fragrance; the star-flowered water lily, with star-shaped flowers, blue outer petals and golden-yellow inner petals; and hybrid water lilies, etc.
White water lily
The white water lily prefers strong light and good ventilation. In ponds with shade trees on the bank, it can bloom but grows weakly. It is not demanding about soil quality and grows normally at pH 6-8, but prefers loam rich in organic matter. During the growing season, the pool water depth should preferably not exceed 80 cm. It sprouts and grows leaves in March-April, and blooms successively from May to August; each flower blooms for 2-5 days, opening during the day and closing at night. It sets seed after flowering. The stems and leaves wither in October-November. It sprouts again the following spring. During the growing season, the pool water depth should preferably not exceed 80 cm. In the Yangtze River basin, it sprouts from late March to early April, forms buds in late April or early May, reaches full bloom from June to August, has a yellow-leaf period from October to November, and enters dormancy after November. It grows in ponds and lakes, and is often cultivated in some park pools.
Detailed explanation of water lily varieties and water lily cultivation techniques
1. Odorata-type rhizomeMorphological characteristics: The Odorata-type rhizome is named after the fragrant water lily (Nymphaea odorata), which has this type of rhizome. Its rhizome is thick, fleshy, loosely structured, and has a horizontal growth habit. The leaf scars and flower stalk scars on the rhizome are relatively dense when growth begins in spring, and as the growing point elongates rapidly, the distance between scars gradually increases, reaching about 2 cm or more. Generally speaking, the Odorata-type rhizome is the fastest-growing among water lilies, and its leaf scar spacing is also the largest. At the same time, during the growing season, small bud eyes (small branches) form below some leaf scars; these bud eyes also grow quickly and gradually form their own bud eyes, and in a single year there may even be 4-5 grades of bud eyes. Therefore, water lily varieties with Odorata-type rhizomes often need larger containers; otherwise, the plants easily become crowded, affecting normal growth and flowering. See Figure 1. The Odorata-type tuber is the most common type of rhizome. Common species and varieties include: fragrant water lily (N. odorata), 'Pink Peony', 'Peter Slocum', 'Somptuosa', 'Perry's Fire Opal', 'American Star', 'Anna Epple', 'Arc-en-ciel', etc.(Odorata-type tuber)
Cultivation points: Because the Odorata-type rhizome has a relatively fast horizontal growth habit and easily produces many bud eyes, most Odorata-type water lilies need to be divided every year. When new shoots just sprout in spring, lift out the entire rhizome, wash off the soil and dirt with a high-pressure hose, cut the old roots back to 1-2 cm, and use a sharp knife to cut off stem segments with growing points from the mother stem as propagation material. Each stem segment should preferably be 8-12 cm long; old stem segments without growing points can be discarded. When planting, it is best to place the tail end of the rhizome at the edge of the container, with the growing point facing the center of the container, the stem segment tilted at 45°, the tail downward, and the growing point upward and exposed above the mud surface. Dividing bud eyes can be done together with spring division, but it is best done during the growing season, as this is more beneficial to the growth of the mother plant. When the new bud eyes have grown several leaves and some roots, they can be separated from the mother stem with a sharp knife and planted separately. 2. Tuberosa-type rhizome
Morphological characteristics: The Tuberosa-type rhizome is slender and club-shaped, relatively loosely structured, and also has a horizontal growth habit, but grows slightly slower than the Odorata type. The leaf scars and flower stalk scars are arranged more tightly on the main stem than in the Odorata type. The name Tuberosa type comes from the shape of its rhizome and the growth pattern of its bud eyes. It is no exaggeration to say that the main stem of this type of rhizome is almost covered by new bud eyes. These bud eyes are plump, connected to the mother stem by a thinner end, and separate from the mother stem very easily; for example, when the container is shaken or the soil is heavily compressed, the new bud-eye tubers can even detach on their own. See Figure 2. Common varieties include: 'Rose Arey', 'Froebelii', 'Gloriosa', 'Peaches and Cream', 'Perry's Baby Red', etc.(Tuberosa-type rhizome)
Cultivation points: Because this type of water lily grows relatively fast and has dense bud eyes, it also needs to be divided every year or the bud eyes removed promptly; otherwise, the normal growth and flowering of the plant will be affected. The division method is the same as for the Odorata type. The key to cultivating this type lies in removing bud eyes and dividing; it is best to regularly open the soil during the growing season, or do it together with spring division. Use your hands to directly snap off bud eyes that have produced or not yet produced roots and leaves from the mother stem, and plant them separately or discard them. After division, they generally grow roots first, then produce leaves. 3. Marliac-type rhizome
Morphological characteristics: The Marliac type is named after the water lily breeder Joseph Bory Latour-Marliac, known as the father of hardy water lilies. From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, he bred many hardy water lily varieties and made great contributions to the development of modern hardy water lilies. One important achievement was the discovery of this rhizome type, the Marliac-type rhizome, which does not grow as rapidly as the Odorata type and Tuberosa type water lilies and does not require large containers or annual division. Its notable features are: although it also has a creeping growth habit, its elongation growth is slower, the tuber is thick, fleshy, and tightly structured, and the leaf scars and flower stalk scars are arranged even more tightly on the rhizome. The bud eyes are thick and tightly structured, and therefore are not easily separated from the main stem, as shown in Figure 4. In addition, the finger-type rhizome of N. cv. Pygmaea Alba from Heilongjiang belongs to a special type of the Marliac type; it also has a horizontal growth habit, and the leaf scars and flower stalk scars are very densely arranged on the rhizome, and it never produces bud eyes, as shown in Figure 5. Common Marliac-type varieties include: 'Almost Black', 'Attraction', 'Comanche', 'Florida Sunset', 'Gonnere', 'Hollandia', 'Masaniello', 'Sunrise', 'Texas Dawn', etc.(Marliac-type rhizome)
Cultivation points: Marliac-type rhizome water lily varieties do not need annual division; divide only when the rhizome grows beyond the container or too many bud eyes cause crowding. When planting, lay the rhizome horizontally on the mud surface, raise the growing point slightly, keep the tail near the edge of the container with growth facing the center of the container, and press the stem segment wholly or partly down into the mud, but make sure the growing point is exposed above the mud surface, then place a small stone or other heavy object on the stem segment to prevent the newly planted stem segment from floating up. Bud eye division can be done together with spring division of the mother plant; use a sharp knife to cut the bud eyes from their connection with the mother stem and plant them separately. Likewise, pay attention to the problem of bud eyes floating up in the early planting stage.
4. Mexicana-type rhizome
Morphological characteristics: The Mexicana-type rhizome is a unique rhizome type. It is named after the water lily genus plant Nymphaea mexicana. This type of rhizome has small pineapple-shaped tubers; instead of bud eyes, it produces fleshy runners from the main stem, and at each node of the runner it produces small tubers similar to the mother stem that can sprout and grow in the same year; at the end of the runner it produces banana-bunch-like dormant tubers. These dormant stems consist of 3-8 (or more) pairs of nutrient clubs, with a dormant bud in the middle of each pair, often remaining latent for many years and sprouting when conditions are suitable. Each vigorous plant can produce several to more than a dozen runners per year, forming a considerable number of small plants, so Nymphaea mexicana is extremely invasive and very easily causes "crowding," as shown in Figures 6-9. Common species and varieties include: Nymphaea mexicana, 'Sulphurea', 'Starbright', etc.Mexicana-type rhizomePineapple-type main stemSmall tubers at the nodes of the runner
Cultivation points: Because of its extremely strong reproductive capacity, its growth range must be strictly controlled when planting. Those growing in containers should divide every year, and those growing in ponds should also divide at the appropriate time, to prevent excessive small plants from causing crowding and affecting growth and flowering. Division is generally best done in spring and summer to ensure that the new plants have enough time to grow into vigorous plants before winter. When dividing, the runners on the main stem must be cleaned off completely; one seedling per container, preferably planted in the center of the container, with the mud covering just enough that the growing point is barely exposed above the mud surface. The small tubers at the nodes can also be cut from the fleshy runners and planted separately. After planting, it is best to cover the mud surface with a layer of gravel (avoiding the growing point) to prevent the tubers from floating to the water surface in the early planting stage. The removed small tubers and banana-bunch-like dormant stems should be destroyed promptly to prevent them from growing and spreading wantonly elsewhere.(Banana-bunch-like dormant stem)
5. Pineapple-type rhizome
Morphological characteristics: The growing point of the Pineapple-type rhizome is located at the top of a vertically growing tuber, and the leaf stalks and flower stalks are extremely densely attached to the stem segment, resembling a pineapple in appearance, which is exactly the source of the name. The Pineapple-type rhizome is thick, fleshy, tightly structured, and grows vertically. Its leaf stalk scars and flower stalk scars are arranged more densely on the tuber than in all other water lily types. The bud eyes are plump and thick, and are not easily separated from the main stem. See Figure 10. Although some people also call it the Mexicana type, it does not produce the fleshy runners and banana-bunch-like dormant stems unique to the Mexicana type. Many Pineapple-type water lily varieties themselves have Mexicana blood, and it is this bloodline that provides the pineapple-type characteristics of the Mexicana type. Common varieties include: 'Helvola', 'Aurora', 'Berit Strawn', 'Chrysantha', 'Indiana', 'Robinsonii', 'Paul Hariot', etc.(Pineapple-type rhizome)
Cultivation points: Because of its vertical growth and its tendency to produce many bud eyes, when the growing point rises far above the mud surface, or the lateral buds grow more vigorously than the mother plant, or there are too many small plants in the container, the excessively long old stem must be cut off and replanted, or the seedlings must be divided. The main stem division method is the same as that for the Mexicana-type main stem. For bud eye division, when they have sprouted several leaves and their own root system, they can be cut from the mother stem with a sharp knife and planted separately. The method is the same as for main stem division.
Tropical water lilies basically all have Pineapple-type rhizomes, growing vertically. When they encounter adverse growing conditions (such as drought, cold, etc.), they produce spherical dormant stems; when conditions become suitable, the spherical rhizomes sprout again and produce varying numbers of small plants.