How Do Water Lilies Reproduce? A Detailed Guide to Common Propagation Methods
How do water lilies reproduce? Water lilies are mostly propagated by dividing the underground rhizome. Pond-grown water lilies are mainly used for landscaping water features and decorating pond fountains; they are usually planted in flowerpots and then placed in the pond. After a water lily grows in a pot for 1 year, the rhizome and fibrous roots will fill the pot, so it needs to be divided and replanted every spring, with each pot yielding about 3 pots when divided.
How do water lilies reproduce? Water lilies are mostly propagated by dividing the underground rhizome. Pond-grown water lilies are mainly used for landscaping water features and decorating pond fountains; they are usually planted in flowerpots and then placed in the pond. After a water lily grows in a pot for 1 year, the rhizome and fibrous roots will fill the pot, so it needs to be divided and replanted every spring, with each pot yielding about 3 pots when divided; the divided plants can all grow vigorously and bloom in the same year.
The overwintering mother plants are moved outdoors before Qingming Festival to be removed from their pots, the soil washed off, and the fibrous roots trimmed short. Cut the horizontal rhizome into sections about 10 cm long, each with 1 to 2 groups of buds, and a large pot placed in the pond can hold three sections. First line the bottom of the pot with a layer of soil, scatter hard, slow-release organic fertilizers such as feather and hoof pieces, then cover with another layer of soil and plant the rhizome sections, firm the soil, and top the pot surface with a layer of coarse river sand.
For vertical-rhizome water lilies, when dividing and planting, the growing tip should be exposed above the water surface, or it may rise above the pot rim, and the plant should be placed into the pond immediately after planting. At first the pond water should be shallow; if the pond must maintain a fixed water depth, prop the pot up with bricks or pot supports underneath. As the leaf stalks grow longer, gradually remove the supports.
If planted directly in the mud of the pond, it does not need to be transplanted and divided every year. However, in the second year, topdressing should be carried out; cake fertilizer or manure can be mixed with clay to make mud balls, dried, and scattered into the pond. Depending on the plant's growth and needs, dig up and divide once every 3 to 4 years.
Water lilies can also be propagated by sowing. After the seeds of water lilies mature, they easily scatter into the water, so when the seeds are about to mature, a cloth bag can be placed over them to collect them. The seeds should be stored in a water-filled container and must not be stored dry, otherwise they will lose viability. Around Qingming Festival the following year, sow them into a pot without drainage holes; they sprout half a month after sowing. The water should not be too deep, with 5 to 10 cm being suitable.
When the temperature stabilizes above 17°C, they can be moved outdoors for management. At final planting, the diameter of the tank should be no less than 35 cm. Some varieties can bloom in the same year, while most varieties bloom only after 2 to 3 years. Division propagation: water lilies are mostly propagated by this method. In February to April, when the weather turns warm and the buds have begun to sprout, dig up the rhizome and cut it into several sections with a sharp knife, each section containing a new bud, and the new bud should be plump. The planting depth should not be too deep; it is best for the bud to be level with the soil surface. The above is an introduction to how water lilies reproduce.
Water Lily Nymphaea alba Water Lily Guide: How to Grow Water Lilies / How Water Lilies Reproduce
Water Lily ProfileWater Lily Nymphaea alba
Aliases: Ziwulian, water cress flower, Ruilian, Shuiyanghua, small lotus flower
Classification: Aquatic flowers
Family and genus: Plantae, Angiosperms, Dicotyledons, Nymphaeales, Nymphaeaceae, Nymphaea
Full bloom period: Spring and summer
The water lily is a perennial aquatic herb; the rhizome is thick and fleshy. The leaf stalk is cylindrical and slender. The leaves are elliptical, floating on the water surface, with entire margins and a heart-shaped base; the upper surface is deep green and the underside is dark purple. The leaves are of two types: floating leaves are round or ovate, with a curved notch at the base, heart-shaped or arrow-shaped, usually without emerged leaves; submerged leaves are membranous and fragile. The water lily flower is solitary, floating on or rising above the water surface; there are four sepals, green; petals usually eight. The fruit is obovate, about 3 cm long. The flowers are large and beautiful, floating on or rising above the water surface, opening by day and closing at night; sepals nearly free; petals white, blue, yellow, or pink, in multiple whorls, sometimes the inner whorls gradually becoming stamens; anthers...
Water Lily Cultivation Methods and Precautions An Introduction to Water Lilies
The water lily is a perennial aquatic herb; the rhizome is thick and fleshy. The leaf stalk is cylindrical and slender. The leaves are elliptical, floating on the water surface, with entire margins and a heart-shaped base; the upper surface is deep green and the underside is dark purple. The leaves are of two types: floating leaves are round or ovate, with a curved notch at the base, heart-shaped or arrow-shaped, usually without emerged leaves; submerged leaves are membranous and fragile.
The water lily flower is solitary, floating on or rising above the water surface; there are four sepals, green; petals usually eight. The fruit is obovate, about 3 cm long. The flowers are large and beautiful, floating on or rising above the water surface, opening by day and closing at night; sepals nearly free; petals white, blue, yellow, or pink, in multiple whorls, sometimes the inner whorls gradually becoming stamens; the connective may or may not have appendages; carpels are ring-shaped, adnate and half-sunken in the fleshy cup-shaped receptacle, and partially fused with it below, extending upward into the style, with the stigma forming a concave stigma disc; ovules are anatropous, pendulous on the inner wall of the ovary. The berry is spongy, irregularly dehiscent, and matures underwater; seeds are hard, wrapped in a gelatinous substance, with a fleshy cup-shaped aril, a small embryo, and a small amount of endosperm and abundant perisperm.
Water lilies are distributed from Northeast China to Yunnan, and west to **; they are also found in Korea, Japan, India, the Soviet Union, and North America. They grow in still-water bodies such as ponds and lakes. Many park water bodies cultivate them as ornamental plants; the rhizome can be eaten or used for brewing wine, and is also used medicinally to treat chronic infantile convulsions; the whole plant can be used as green manure.
Morphological Characteristics of Water Lilies
The leaves of water lilies are round or nearly round, or ovate, while some varieties are lanceolate or arrow-shaped; the leaf margins are entire, but the leaf margins of tropical water lilies are wavy; the upper surface of the leaf is green and glossy, and the underside is purplish red, and some varieties have dark brown spots or mottled coloration on the leaf surface; the veins are obvious or not very obvious. In a few varieties of tropical water lilies, small plantlets grow between the tip of the large sinus and the point where the leaf stalk attaches, which is called "vivipary."
The water lily flower is composed of organs such as sepals, petals, stamens and pistils, style, carpels, and flower stalk. The flower is solitary and bisexual. There are 4 to 5 sepals, green or purplish red, or green with black dots, with shapes including lanceolate, narrowly ovate, or oblong. The flower buds are long peach-shaped or peach-shaped; petals are usually ovate, broadly ovate, oblong, long-round, obovate, broadly lanceolate, etc., with the petal tips slightly pointed or slightly blunt. Flower colors include red, pink, blue, purple, white, etc. Petals may be single, multiple, or double. Therefore, the size, shape, and color of the petals all vary by variety. This forms the brilliant floral appearance. The ovary is superior to perigynous; before the flower opens, the stamens wrap above the carpels, and after maturity they open into a sickle shape; sepals, petals, and stamens are arranged spirally above the receptacle and ovary wall. The carpels are arranged in a ring and embedded within the receptacle and are connate, with the upper styles separate, the stigma filamentous, centered on a papillate protrusion, funnel-shaped, secreting stigmatic fluid at maturity, and the stigmatic fluid mainly contains glucose, fructose, and amino acids to attract insect pollination.
The fruit of the water lily is ovate to hemispherical, matures in water, and dehisces irregularly; the seeds are small, elliptical or spherical; most have an aril.
Water lilies come in blue, purple, pink, golden yellow, and more. Usually most are purple. The stamens of the fire lily are mostly yellow or purple. This flower blooms only seven days each year; the outside of the fire lily is purple petals, in the middle there are only many golden tendrils, and inside there is a flower bud about to bloom, which opens only at the moment before withering. It is the most delicate flower of Grandia.
The flowering period of water lilies is mainly spring and summer; outdoors the flowering period is from June to September.
Ecological Habits of Water Lilies
Water lilies like strong light and good ventilation, so the flowers close at night and open again in the morning. In ponds with tree shade on the bank, they can bloom but grow weakly. They are not strict about soil quality and grow normally at pH 6-8, but prefer loam rich in organic matter. During the growing season, the pond water depth should preferably not exceed 80 cm. They sprout and grow leaves from March to April, bloom successively from May to August, with each flower opening for 2 to 5 days, opening by day and closing at night. They set fruit after flowering. The stems and leaves wither from October to November. They sprout again the following spring. During the growing season, the pond water depth should preferably not exceed 80 cm. In the Yangtze River basin, they sprout from late March to early April, form buds in late April or early May, reach full bloom from June to August, enter the yellow-leaf stage from October to November, and enter dormancy after November. They grow in ponds and lakes, and are often cultivated in the ponds of some parks.
Opening time of water lilies: most water lilies open near noon and close in the evening, so a poet once wrote: "Do not misunderstand, we do not like sleeping, we just dislike the evening gloom, and close our flowers at night; once midnight passes, we open very early again, welcoming the rising sun and the arrival of morning vitality in advance."
Cultivation Techniques for Water Lilies Cultivation and Management
Water lilies can be pot-grown or pond-grown. For pond cultivation, drain the pond water in early spring, apply base fertilizer, then add new pond mud and fill with water. Watering should be done in several rounds until sufficient. As new leaves grow, gradually add water; during the flowering season, the water depth can be kept at 70 to 80 cm. In winter, more water should be added, keeping the water depth above 110 cm so the rhizome can overwinter safely. For pot-grown plants, choose a pot with an inner diameter and depth of at least 40 cm x 60 cm. Around the Spring Equinox each year, repot and change the soil while dividing the plants, and add decomposed soybean cake residue or bone meal, hoof pieces, and other fertilizers rich in phosphorus and potassium at the bottom of the pot as base fertilizer. Beneath the rhizome, place at least 30 cm of fertile river mud, cover with soil until the terminal bud is just covered, then place it in a pond or tank, keeping the water depth at 40 to 50 cm. In high-temperature seasons, the water layer must be kept clean; if it is left too long, change the water to prevent the growth of aquatic algae that would affect the ornamental value. After flowering, promptly remove spent flowers and topdress as appropriate. Pot-grown plants kept indoors must be moved into a cold room or to the bottom of deep water for overwintering in winter. During the growing period, give sufficient light and do not keep them in shade for long periods.
Pot Cultivation
Around the Spring Equinox each year, place decomposed soybean cake or bone meal, hoof pieces, and other fertilizers at the bottom of the flowerpot, and put more than 30 cm of fertile river mud on top. Then plant the rhizome with bud eyes horizontally into the river mud, cover with soil until the terminal bud is just covered, add 1 cm of coarse sand and small pebbles, then add water to the pot or tank. In high-temperature seasons, change the water promptly to avoid the production of algae that would affect its beauty.
Tropical water lilies must be planted upright. The covering soil and sand should not exceed the terminal bud.
Pond Cultivation
In early spring, drain the water, apply base fertilizer, add new pond mud, and fill with sufficient water for planting. In winter, keep the irrigation depth above 1.1 m so the rhizome can overwinter safely.
The water lily is a water-surface greening material prized for both flowers and foliage. It can decorate fountains, courtyards, and more, bringing coolness to people in the scorching summer, and it also has the effect of purifying water in sewage treatment. It has been promoted in many places and is a rare plant for beautification and purification.
Attention should be paid to the planting angle of the rhizome: tropical water lilies are placed upright, hardy water lilies are placed flat (except Ziwulian).
Key Cultivation Points
Choose Good Cultivation Soil
Water lilies like humus-rich, fertile clay soil. Therefore, for cultivation, it is best to choose sludge that has long accumulated in rivers or ponds.
Choose Good Seed Rhizomes
Water lilies are mostly cultivated by division. The quality of the seed rhizome selected is also a key part of successful cultivation. For the underground rhizome used as seed, choose a section that is vigorous and strong, virus-free, undamaged, and not rotting, with new buds, and cut it into 6 to 10 cm long sections.
Plant Appropriately Shallow
If the seed rhizome is planted too deep in the mud, first, the soil temperature is rather low, and second, oxygen is scarce, which is not conducive to early growth and rapid development. Generally, keep the cultivation depth so that the new buds on the rhizome are level with the soil surface, which is moderate.
Sufficient Light
Water lilies like a climate with ample sunlight, warmth and humidity, and good ventilation. Water lilies grown in pots or tanks must be placed in a position with sufficient light so they receive full sunlight.
Planting Time
Tropical species are usually one month later than common species, with May to June being the suitable period. At this time, the new buds of the old bulbs are about to appear, and it must not be later than the end of June. The bulbs or tubers of water lilies are black in appearance, and it is difficult to distinguish good from poor. To distinguish good from poor, you can cut the skin with a small knife; if the flesh is white and hard, it is a good bulb, and seed bulbs with young shoots appearing are the most reliable. Long-stored dry bulbs or rotting bulbs must never be used.
Soil and Planting Methods
Planting requires heavy clay soil and is best with good sunlight. Otherwise, the method of replacing soil with clay soil can also be used for cultivation. Before planting, first apply base fertilizer in the planting hole, then spread a thin layer of soil to cover the base fertilizer. Plant the bulb (or seedling), fill the planting hole with soil up to the tip of the bud, and pile small pebbles over the entire hole surface to prevent the bulb from floating and to prevent the pond water from becoming turbid. Add water to a level 3 cm above the pond bottom, and thereafter increase the water as the leaves grow taller.
Post-Planting Management
About one week after planting, small buds begin to appear. When they have not yet extended above the original water level, increase the pond water depth to 30 to 45 cm. The newly emerged tender leaves are curled, and the leaf stalks reach the water depth before the leaves unfold; at this point, the water depth must be decided. Once the leaves float on the water surface, a certain depth must be maintained at all times thereafter. Pay frequent attention to the water depth; if it is seen to decrease, immediately add water to the certain depth. During management, if yellow withered leaves are seen, remove them promptly; otherwise no special care is needed.
Overwintering Treatment
After autumn, the leaves and stalks in the water begin to wither, and by deep winter only the root stock remains. If left in the pond and the pond water is not reduced, tropical water lilies are at risk of cold damage and death. Therefore, in early autumn, dig them all out of the pond and collect them, plant the root stocks densely in extra-large square pots, and store them indoors in a warm place for the winter to ensure safety. The lowest temperature limit for survival is about 13°C.
Hardy water lilies can overwinter as long as the temperature is kept above 0°C; too high a temperature affects dormancy.
Water Lilies Through Summer
For pot-grown water lilies, a tank with a diameter of about 30 cm and a depth of about 25 cm can be used. At first, the water should not be too deep; as the leaves gradually grow taller, gradually increase the water level. During the growing period, if there are too many leaves, the old leaves can be pressed into the mud by hand; these leaves are also very good fertilizer. Water lilies like sunlight; apart from needing shade at noon in summer, they need fairly sufficient light in other seasons. Insufficient light results in few or even no flowers. When fertilizing water lilies during the growing period, note that liquid fertilizer must absolutely not be applied, as it not only pollutes the water but also causes fertilizer damage; simply bury a small amount of dry cake fertilizer powder directly into the mud. After flowering, clean up spent flowers and withered leaves to promote the opening of the next batch of flowers.
How to Grow Miniature Small Water Lilies
1. Flowerpot
In principle it is the same as for water lilies, opening outward, but the flowerpot opening does not necessarily need to be as large as a water lily pot; however, it must have a certain depth, preferably around 10 to 20 cm.
2. Soil
The same as for water lilies.
3. When planting, first put in a little fertilizer, add soil to the 1/2 point and press firm, place the 2 to 3 nodes of lotus rhizome well, then add soil to the 3/4 to 4/5 point and press lightly firm. Because lotus is a creeping stem (rhizome), it needs more soil. Add water and place in a place with sufficient light.
4. Fertilizing
Lotus takes up fertilizer a little more heavily than water lilies, so on average it must be fertilized once every two to three weeks, especially after every two to three flowers have opened, otherwise you may see only one or two rounds of flowers. The fertilization point is about 2 to 3 cm at the new leaf (beside the rhizome node) (usually one node has one to three leaves), where a small amount of fertilizer is added. After the end of September, no more fertilizer is needed.
5. Treatment during dormancy and afterward is very important (I spent four years figuring this out, and many flower sellers will not tell you). It determines whether the plant will survive the next year and whether it will bloom. After autumn begins, the leaves of the lotus gradually dry out. After all have withered and turned yellow, cut them off, and stop adding water to the flowerpot, letting it gradually dry out, but it must be kept in a muddy condition until after Qingming Festival the following year before treatment.
6. Changing Soil and Dividing Buds
After Qingming Festival, choose a relatively hot day, turn out the entire pot of soil. After turning it out, you will see many tangled rhizome nodes. Cut off the dried and rotted ones, keep the plumper and firmer rhizome nodes, and cut them into sections of every two to three nodes. After washing with water, use new soil and follow the previous steps to plant. Because we are growing them in flowerpots, the actual soil is not enough compared with a field. Aged soil and rotted rhizomes will hinder the growth of the lotus. As with point 5, if this is not done, the plants will almost certainly die, unless the pot is very large and the soil is very abundant. Simply put, water lilies place more importance on the water surface area, while lotus places more importance on soil volume; this is the biggest difference between growing these two kinds of flowers.
7. Flowering
Without pollination, the flowering period of lotus can last more than a week (for double-petaled ones), but if pollinated, the petals will drop quickly. Therefore, it is recommended to cut the flower for arranging as soon as the outer petals begin to drop; first, the flower can be kept longer, and second, it can increase flowering. Also, try not to let the lotus seed pod grow large, as it will waste too many nutrients and affect flowering.
8. Lotus can be propagated by rhizome and by lotus seeds, but rhizome is recommended: first, it is fast (it is a flowering plant, and flowers can be seen in the same year); second, it is simple. With lotus seeds, first find mature lotus seeds (skin close to black), lightly cut open and remove the skin on the rounder end (where the bud point is) with a knife, soak in water for 3 to 10 days, and after sprouting, place in a place with sufficient light for about another week. After roots grow, plant them. Because it is not a flowering plant, it sometimes takes two to three years for the plant to mature before it blooms, so propagation by seed requires ample time.
Growing lotus takes more effort than water lilies. At first, because points 5 and 6 had not been figured out, growing them was very discouraging. Therefore, as a sincere recommendation, start with water lilies as a beginner, then Guanyin lotus, and then grow lotus, so you will be less likely to feel frustrated.
Water Lily Cultivation Methods Cut Flower Techniques
Because water lilies grow in water, cut flowers are actually less able to stay fresh than terrestrial plants; once a cut flower leaves the water, its water absorption capacity is surprisingly poor. Therefore, one has to rely on the water injection method, forcing water in through the cut end to achieve water absorption and help keep the cut flower fresh. This measure can be carried out by cut flower businesses or handled by consumers themselves. Apart from needing an extra water injector, the operation is simpler and cheaper than other preservation methods, convenient and twice as effective with half the effort.
The water lily is a summer aquatic flower, with a gracefully charming flower posture. When moved from its natural ecology to a place closer to viewing for cultivation, it has a fresh elegance and becomes an indispensable aquatic plant in garden ponds. Although the life of the cut flower is regrettably short, the flower colors are crystal clear and bright, and when used for water-dish flower arrangements, they give a feeling of coolness filling the room.
Plant Characteristics
The leaves are nearly round and elliptical, with a maximum diameter of 30 to 60 cm, a deep notch at the base, and a deep green leaf color. When the leaf-base notch is sharp, the petal tips are correspondingly pointed; when the leaf notch is blunt, the petal tips are also blunt. The leaf margins curve slightly inward, especially noticeably in tropical species. The flower has many petals, four sepals, and especially many stamens. It usually blooms floating on the water surface. Flower colors include white, peach red, red, purple, yellow, etc., with a flowering period from May to October. A plant that flowers well can produce 70 to 80 flowers; after the flowers fade, they sink into the water together with the stalk and disperse fully mature seeds. The rhizome of common species produces new buds every year; the round spherical tuberous roots of tropical species produce bulbils that can be used for division (bulb) propagation.
Pot-Grown Water Lilies Bloom More
A household potted water lily not only gives a refreshing feeling but also adds charm. The pot can be placed on an open-air platform; if there is no terrace, it can also be placed on a balcony with sufficient sunlight. For potted water lilies, June to August is the full bloom period.
If you want more flowers, pay attention to the following four issues:
Repot and Change Soil
Around the Spring Equinox each year, repot and change the soil while dividing the plants, keep the soil fertile, and meet the water lily's nutrient needs.
Expand the Water Surface
A small water surface causes leaves to overlap, which affects flowering. It is best to grow potted plants in nested tanks; providing more than 1 sq m of water surface per plant can promote more flowering.
Apply More Fertilizer
For fertilizing potted water lilies, generally it is enough to choose fertile soil and add some chicken manure and bone meal as base fertilizer when planting. To encourage more flowering, several topdressings mainly of phosphorus and potassium can be applied during the flowering period. Never apply too much nitrogen fertilizer, otherwise, because vegetative growth is too vigorous, reproductive growth will be inhibited, causing poor or no flowering.
Prevent and Control Pests
Water lily leaves are easily attacked by leaf-eating pests such as the noctuid moth, causing damage to the leaf surface and reducing photosynthesis, which will inevitably affect flowering, so timely control is necessary.
Propagation Methods of Water Lilies
Water lilies are generally propagated by division. From March to April, when the climate turns warm and the buds have begun to sprout, dig up the rhizome and cut it into several pieces with a sharp knife, then plant separately.
Division Propagation
The main propagation method for water lilies: in spring from March to April each year, when the buds have just begun to sprout, dig up the rhizome and cut it into several pieces with a sharp knife. Ensure each rhizome piece has more than two plump bud eyes, and plant it into the river mud in a pond or tank.
Water lilies are mainly propagated by division. Hardy species are usually divided in early spring before sprouting, from March to April; non-hardy species have high requirements for air and water temperature, so division can only be carried out around mid-May. When dividing, first dig out the rhizome, select rhizomes with plump new buds, cut them into root sections 8 to 10 cm long, each section with at least 1 bud, and then plant them. Bury the terminal bud upward in the surface soil, with the covering depth such that the plant's bud eyes are level with the soil surface, and plant 5 to 7 sections per pot. After planting, expose to a little sunlight before adding shallow water to help maintain water temperature, but the water should not be too deep, otherwise it will affect sprouting. When the temperature rises and the new buds sprout, deepen the water level. Place in a well-ventilated, sunny place for care, with a cultivation water depth of 20 to 40 cm; in summer the water level can be appropriately deepened, and in high-temperature seasons care should be taken to keep the pot water clean. When growing only a small amount in pots, you can take out water lilies that have been planted for 2 to 5 years, cut them into 2 to 4 pieces, and replant them in pots.
Seed Propagation
After flowering, wrap the flower with a cloth bag so that once the fruit matures and splits, the seeds will fall into the bag and not be lost. After collecting the seeds, put them in a water-filled bottle, seal the bottle mouth, and put it into pond water for storage. The following spring, take it out, pour the seeds into a water-filled Erlenmeyer flask, and place it in a 25°C to 30°C incubator to promote germination, changing the water daily. After about 2 weeks the seeds germinate, and once the seedlings grow young roots they can be transplanted into small pots in a greenhouse. After planting, put the small pots into a tank, with the water depth just enough to submerge the young leaves by 1 cm. In April, when the temperature rises above 15°C, they can be moved outdoors for management. As the new leaves enlarge, repot 2 to 3 times, and at final planting the diameter of the tank should be no less than 35 cm. Some plants can flower in the same year, while most can bloom only the following year.
Put the plump black elliptical seeds in clean water and store them sealed until they are taken out before sowing the following spring. Soak them in 25 to 30°C water to promote germination, changing the water daily; they will germinate after two weeks. When the seedlings grow to 3 to 4 cm, they can be planted in a pond, ensuring sufficient water depth.
In early autumn, dig up the stored old mother bulbs; around them grow large and small bulbils. When replanting in May of the following year, dig the whole plant out of the square pot, and at the same time divide the bulbils and plant them in the pond in the same way as the mother bulb. Although the bulbils are as small as broad beans, once planted they soon develop into thick, strong plants. To obtain good offspring, artificial crossing should be carried out. After the seeds are harvested, sow them immediately in boxes with clay soil, which is called fresh sowing. Some of the seedlings bloom the following year; if all are to bloom, it may take until the third year.
Water Lily Disease Control Black Spot
It mainly harms the leaves. In the early stage of the disease, chlorotic yellow spots appear on the leaves; later they become round or irregular, turn brown, and have concentric rings, sometimes with a yellow-green halo at the edge, with black mold layers growing on them, 5 to 15 mm in diameter. In severe cases, the spots merge into patches, and except for the veins, the entire leaf withers and turns yellow. This disease is caused by fungi and occurs severely in the rainy season; under conditions such as continuous cropping in lotus ponds or pots, excessive nitrogen fertilizer application, or excessively high summer water temperature, the disease is very severe.
Control methods: strengthen cultivation management and promptly remove diseased leaves. For severely affected plants, replace with new soil before replanting, and do not apply nitrogen fertilizer alone. When the disease occurs, spray 75% chlorothalonil 600 to 800 times dilution for control.
Brown Spot
It harms lotus leaves. Round spots 0.5 to 8 mm in diameter appear on diseased leaves, ranging from light brown to yellow-brown, with darker edges. In the later stage of the disease, many small black mold spots grow on the lesions. The disease is more severe in rainy autumn. The pathogen mostly overwinters on plant residues.
Control methods: remove residual leaves to reduce the source of disease. For severe cases, spray 50% carbendazim 500 times dilution or 80% zineb 500 to 800 times dilution for control.
Cotton Water Moth
It is distributed in many places across the country, on water lilies, lotus, and others. The larvae feed on plant leaves; when the damage is severe, they often eat all the leaf mesophyll, leaving a network of veins. The adult has a white head and upper part of the antennae; the ventral side of the thorax is white, the thorax and abdominal dorsum are yellow-brown, and the front edge of each part has white scales. The forewings are orange-yellow, with 2 relatively wide white wavy lines at the wing base; the hindwings are orange-yellow, white at the base, with a broad white band in the center, white fringe hairs, and gray-brown near the wing base. It has 2 generations per year, overwintering as larvae among weeds. The following year, from May to June, the larvae pupate; in early July the adults lay eggs, and afterward the larvae hatch. When the larvae cause damage, they often bite a lotus leaf into 2 pieces, then spin silk to overlap the leaf pieces into a protective shelter, living inside it, and can float on the water surface. After the shelter dries out, they make another shelter. The larvae are mostly active and feed at night, and the adults are phototactic.
Control Methods
1. During the adult emergence period, set black light lamps on the water surface to trap and capture adults.
2. When larval protective shelters floating on the water surface are found, promptly catch and dispose of them with nets.
3. If water lilies are grown in a pond, fish can be raised in the pond to prey on the larvae.
Rot Disease
(1) Choose disease-resistant varieties.
(2) Implement 2 to 3 year crop rotation in severely affected fields.
(3) Carefully select disease-free seed lotus rhizomes, and use 50% carbendazim or 20% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 800 times dilution plus 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 800 times dilution, spray and then keep the seeds sealed, cover with plastic film and seal for 24 h, then dry and plant.
(4) Deeply plow and harrow the lotus rhizome field, and apply 1500 to 2250 kg of lime per hectare.
(5) Strengthen fertilizer and water management, apply sufficient decomposed organic fertilizer, topdress timely and appropriately, combine organic fertilizer with chemical fertilizer and nitrogen fertilizer with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; manage the water layer well according to the different growth stages of lotus rhizome, keep the depth appropriate, and regulate temperature and fertilizer with water to prevent worsening of the disease caused by excessively high water temperature or long-term deep irrigation.
(6) Promptly pull out diseased plants and spray 50% carbendazim wettable powder 600 times dilution plus 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 600 times dilution.
Leaf Rot
(1) During harvest, remove diseased and residual plants, bury them deeply or burn them in a centralized manner to reduce the source of inoculum.
(2) In the early stage of the disease, spray 50% carbendazim wettable powder 800 times dilution, or 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 800 times dilution, or 30% basic copper sulfate suspension 500 times dilution, once every about 10 days, for 2 to 3 consecutive sprays.
Anthracnose
(1) During the growing season, collect diseased plant debris and bury it deep or burn it.
(2) Apply sufficient well-rotted organic fertilizer, and top-dress timely and appropriately, combining organic fertilizer with chemical fertilizer, and nitrogen fertilizer with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer.
(3) Promptly pull out diseased plants and spray with 50% carbendazim wettable powder at 600 times dilution, 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 600 times dilution, 36% thiophanate-methyl suspension concentrate at 500 times dilution, 50% carbendazim wettable powder at 1,500 times dilution, or 80% anthracnose thiram wettable powder at 800 times dilution, spraying once about every 10 d, for 2 to 3 consecutive sprays.
Water lily leaf beetle
It is a devastating pest. The adults overwinter in vegetation near the pond edge, and lay eggs on the leaf surface in late spring. It can produce 2 to 3 generations per season. At this time, the leaves can be washed with water
Water lily image Water lily image
so that the adults and pupae fall into the water and are eaten by fish. Once the larvae cause damage, spray with 1200 times dilution of deltamethrin.
Water lily aphid
It harms many aquatic plants with soft leaves. In summer, it infests leaves and flower stems, causing flower color to change. Its eggs overwinter on Prunus plants, especially on plum and hawthorn trees, and occasionally on cherry trees. Avoid planting Prunus plants in large patches near water, or wash these host plants with tar in winter. The leaves can also be washed with a hose, and insecticides can be sprayed.
Snails
When they cause damage, mix carbofuran or trichlorfon with sawdust, put it into cloth bags, tie the bags to the leaf stalks, and let the bags float on the water surface. As the water moves, the pesticide solution spreads and kills the pests. Biological control works very well: stocking 5 kg of loach in 1000 sq m of water surface can effectively stop the pests from spreading and floating over the area.
Water moss
Spray with 0.3% to 0.5% copper sulfate.
Aphids
Affected leaves can be sprayed with 1000 to 1200 times dilution of dichlorvos, or with 2000 to 2500 times dilution of 50% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate.
Water lily care tips: measures to make it bloom earlier
To make water lilies bloom before "June 1", propagate by division from late March to early April. Plant the newly divided rhizomes into flower pots. The planting time should be no later than 50 to 60 days before the desired flowering date. The growing medium should maintain a water layer 10 to 20 cm deep. Under these conditions, water lilies grow very rapidly. Fertilizer supply must be sufficient. In addition to applying an appropriate amount of base fertilizer at planting, during the vigorous growth stage it is best to insert stick-shaped organic fertilizer into the growing medium every 10 days as top dressing. Water lilies are aquatic plants, and water management after the flowers open is the same as before flowering. It is best to top-dress frequently, otherwise blind buds are likely to appear. Be careful not to place them in shady spots, because water lilies can bloom normally only with sufficient sunlight. In addition, note that the temperature of the placement environment should not be too low, so that plant flowering is not inhibited.
Rhizome storage and freshness preservation
After autumn, when the stems and leaves of the plant turn yellow and withered, the rhizomes can be dug out of the mud, then classified and grouped according to different cultivars for storage. Note that water lilies are aquatic plants, so the operation must be quick, and the rhizomes must not lose water, otherwise the new buds will be damaged. The prepared rhizomes can be stored in an environment with a relative humidity of 95% to 100% and a temperature of 4 to 6°C. Usually under the above conditions, water lily rhizomes can be stored for 110 to 120 days.
Cut flower storage and freshness preservation
Harvest when the flower buds are fully colored, preferably in the morning when the temperature is lower. After harvesting, place the cut flowers temporarily in a place without direct sunlight and precool them as soon as possible. After harvesting, they also need to be graded.
Package flowers of the same grade and cultivar with stems, 20 stems per plastic bag, then place them separately into corrugated cardboard boxes marked with the product name and lined with breathable film, and store them in an environment with a relative humidity of 90% to 95% and a temperature of 5 to 6°C. They can usually be kept for one or two days. During transport, water lilies can only be stored dry for a short time, and after opening the box they must be inserted into water immediately.
Water lily cultivar classification: main cultivars
[Yellow water lily]: Leaves round or ovate, with inconspicuous wavy margins, dark green above with brown markings, reddish brown beneath with small black spots. Flowers yellow, about 10 cm in diameter. [1]
[White water lily]: Leaves leathery, nearly round, base deeply cleft to the point where the petiole attaches, entire, slightly wavy, hairless on both sides, young leaves red. Flowers white and large, 10 to 13 cm in diameter.
[Blue lotus]: Rhizome irregularly spherical. Leaves nearly round or elliptical, 13 to 40 cm in diameter, leaf blade deeply cleft to the point where the petiole attaches, nearly entire or with a few tooth-like divisions at the cleft. Leaf surface green, underside with purple spots, smooth and hairless on both sides, petiole green, hairless. Flowers blue, petals 15 to 20, flower diameter 15 cm, petals star-shaped, tip darker blue, base gradually lighter, stamens golden yellow. Sepals narrow, linear or oblong-lanceolate.
[Downy-toothed water lily]: Tropical water lily. Flowers floating on the water surface, white or pink, apex rounded and blunt, calyx green, oblong, apex blunt, with longitudinal stripes. Leaves nearly leathery; ovate, base deeply cleft; leaf margin with unequal
triangular serrations; leaf surface dark green, hairless, leaf underside reddish brown, densely pubescent or nearly hairless, petiole peltate.
[Blue water lily]: Rhizome thick and strong. Leaves round or nearly round, relatively large, margin irregularly toothed and cleft, leaf surface green, hairless, underside pink or pale purple. Flowers pale blue, petals radiating in a star shape. Petal tips narrow, base slightly wider, fragrant, petals 15 to 18, flower diameter about 15 cm, stamens golden yellow. Calyx with small black spots, sepals linear or oblong-lanceolate. Pedicel extending above the water surface, flowering in the morning and closing in the afternoon.
[Red water lily]: Leaves round or nearly round, base deeply cleft, young leaves purplish red. When old, the upper surface turns dark green and glossy, the underside dark purplish red, leaf margin with shallow triangular teeth. Flowers large, 30 to 34 cm in diameter, rose red.
[Fragrant water lily]: Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from mid-to-late May to mid-September. Flowers cup-shaped, pinkish white, strongly fragrant. Leaves round or oblong, leathery and entire, leaf surface green, leaf underside purplish red. Underground stem creeping, few branches. Suitable water depth 45 to 90 cm.
[Masaniello]: Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from late April to early October. Flowers cup-shaped, inner petals magenta red, outer petals lighter; slightly fragrant. Leaves nearly round, leathery and entire, leaf surface green, leaf underside green, young leaves purplish red. Marliacea-type rhizome. Suitable water depth 45 to 90 cm.
[Mexican yellow water lily]: Flowers open at noon and close in the evening, emerging above the water. A single flower lasts 2 to 3 days; the population flowering period is from late May to early September. Flowers cup-shaped then star-shaped, petals deep yellow, sweetly fragrant. Leaves ovate, margin slightly serrate. Leaf surface green, new leaves olive green, densely covered with purple or reddish brown spots; leaf underside copper red with small purple spots. Upright rhizome, running runners. Suitable water depth 45 to 75 cm.
[Lausanne]: Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from mid-to-late May to early September. Flowers cup-shaped, pale pink, strongly fragrant. Leaves nearly round, leaf surface green; leaf underside purplish red. Marliacea-type tuber. Suitable water depth 35 to 75 cm.
[White Fairy]: Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 4 days; the population flowering period is from late May to late September. Flowers spherical, white, aromatic. Leaves ovate-round, leaf surface green, leaf underside dark purple copper. Marliacea-type rhizome. Suitable water depth 35 to 75 cm.
[Helvola]: Flowers open in the afternoon and close at night, floating. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from late May to late September. Flowers cup-shaped then star-shaped, medium yellow, lightly fragrant. Leaves ovate, leaf surface green with dark stripes and deep purple patches; leaf underside red with deep purple spots. Finger-type rhizome. Suitable water depth 15 to 23 cm.
[Sunrise]: Flowers open in the morning and close at noon, emerging above the water. A single flower lasts 2 to 3 days; the population flowering period is from late May to early October. Flowers star-shaped, yellow, lightly fragrant. Leaves round, leaf length slightly greater than leaf width, leaf surface green, leaf underside yellow. Marliacea-type rhizome. Suitable water depth 45 to 90 cm.
[Colorado]: Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, emerging above the water. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from early June to early November. Flowers orange-yellow at low temperatures and orange-red at high temperatures; star-shaped. Leaves round, leaf surface green, leaf underside with a slight red flush at the margin. Marliacea-type tuber. Suitable water depth 45 to 90 cm.
[Fire Crest]: Flowers open in the morning and close at noon, emerging above the water. A single flower lasts 3 days; the population flowering period is from early June to early September. Flowers star-shaped, pale purple-pink, slightly fragrant. Leaves round, leaf surface green, new leaves deep purple; leaf underside deep purple. Odorata-type rhizome. Suitable water depth 30 to 60 cm.
[Almost Black]: Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from late June to early October. Flowers cup-shaped, ink red, fragrant. Leaves round, leaf surface green, leaf underside pale green. Marliacea-type tuber. Suitable water depth 45 to 90 cm.
[Alba Plenissima]: Opens in the morning and closes in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from late May to late September. Flowers cup-shaped to star-shaped, white, lightly fragrant on the day of opening. Leaves round, leaf surface green; leaf underside pale yellow-green. Marliacea-type rhizome. Suitable water depth 45 to 90 cm.
[Arc-en-Ciel]: Flowers open in the morning and close at noon, emerging above the water. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from early June to late September. Flowers star-shaped, first shell pink and then white or nearly white, delicately fragrant. Leaves round, leaf surface olive green, with radiating yellow, cream yellow, pink, and red spots, or pink or slightly reddish patches; leaf underside brownish red. Odorata-type tuber. Suitable water depth 45 to 90 cm.
[Ellisiana]: Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from mid-to-late May to late September. Flowers star-shaped, petals red. Leaves horseshoe-shaped, young and mature leaves both green. Marliacea-type tuber. Suitable water depth 15 to 23 cm.
[Commanche]: Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 days; the population flowering period is from late May to late September. Flowers cup-shaped, pale orange-yellow, lightly fragrant. Young leaf surface with dense reddish brown spots. On mature leaves, the spots on the upper surface become lighter, but they remain relatively obvious on the underside. Marliacea-type tuber. Suitable water depth 30 to 45 cm.
[Sunshine Princess]: Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating on the water surface. A single flower lasts 4 to 5 days; the population flowering period is from early June to late September. Flowers first cup-shaped then star-shaped, deep rose red. Leaves horseshoe-shaped, young leaves dark red with a few deep red spots; mature leaves green. Suitable water depth 45 to 90 cm.
[Chromatella]: Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 days; the population flowering period is from late May to late September. Flowers cup-shaped, pale red-yellow, lightly fragrant. Leaves round, leaf surface green, new leaves green with purple spots; leaf underside purplish red, new leaves green with small purple spots. Pineapple-type rhizome. Suitable water depth 45 to 75 cm.
[Peter]: Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, emerging above the water. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from early June to late September. Flowers peony-shaped, medium pink, strongly fragrant. Leaves round, leaf surface green, leaf underside red; when the leaf blade emerges above the water surface, the leaf underside is green. Odorata-type rhizome. Suitable water depth 35 to 75 cm.
[Virginalis]: Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from mid-to-late May to late September. Flowers cup-shaped, white, base slightly flushed with red, slightly fragrant. Leaf upper surface green, underside pale brown. Marliacea-type tuber. Suitable water depth 35 to 75 cm.
[Pygmy water lily]: Miniature water lily, flowers exquisite and fragrant. Flowers white. Flower diameter about 2.5 cm. Leaves small, ovate. Leaf upper surface green, underside purple. Can set seed and can be propagated by sowing.
[Tiger lotus]: [2] Dicotyledonous plant, floating-leaved aquatic plant. Its characteristic is that its submerged leaves are usually tea-colored and have obvious brown spots. The plant form changes with light intensity; under strong light, the petioles are shorter, the color can turn pale purple-brown, and the plant form becomes more beautiful. The floating leaves are round, green, with serrate leaf margins, and it can produce white flowers similar to those of ordinary water lilies. Although it can produce corms, the growth rate is relatively low. It is relatively intolerant of cold, and dormancy is not obvious. If the water temperature is below 12°C, the plant body may die, but its submerged seeds can overwinter and germinate and grow again when the temperature rises. It is generally propagated by runners, but propagation by seed is faster. When cultivated in aquariums, relatively strong lighting must be used, but overly strong lighting easily causes floating leaves to form. It is best to cut off the floating leaves so as not to block light and affect the growth of other aquatic plants.
[Green tiger lotus]: [3] Dicotyledonous plant, floating-leaved aquatic plant. Its characteristic is that its submerged leaves are usually green and have obvious brown spots. The floating leaves are round, green, with serrate leaf margins. The spots on the leaf surface gradually disappear or become lighter in color. It can produce flowers similar to those of ordinary water lilies. It can also produce corms, but they are usually not spherical, instead somewhat irregular in shape with bumps. The corms can produce stem buds and develop into daughter plants, which can be divided to grow independently. If the water temperature is below 12°C, it enters a dormant state; not only does growth stop, but the plant body may die, though the remaining corms germinate and grow again after the temperature rises. When cultivated in aquariums, it rarely produces floating leaves, so its beautiful submerged leaves can be enjoyed for a long time. It originally belongs to the large aquatic plant group, but when cultivated in a small aquarium it becomes miniaturized.
[Four-color water lily]: Dicotyledonous plant, floating-leaved aquatic plant. It has white fibrous roots, and the rhizome is not obvious. It has two types of leaves: submerged leaves and floating leaves. The submerged leaves are smaller, elliptical leaves split at the lower part, with reddish brown leaf spots, leaf margins without serrations, green. The floating leaves are larger, elliptical to round leaves split at the lower part. Leaves that have just floated to the water surface still have reddish brown leaf spots, but these slowly disappear. The leaf margins have no serrations, only a wrinkled appearance, and are green. It can produce white flowers similar to those of ordinary water lilies. Although it can produce corms, the growth rate is relatively low. If the water temperature is below 12°C, it may enter dormancy or stop growing. It has strong growth vigor and is easy to propagate. It can be propagated by seed, and small plantlets are also easily produced by division from the rhizome as propagules, or small plantlets growing where the petiole and leaf blade connect can be used as propagation material. Burying root fertilizer is effective. It can grow normally in medium to strong light environments, and its growth rate is relatively fast.
Cultivar categories
1. Fragrant water lily (Nymphaea 'odorata Ait')
Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from mid-to-late May to mid-September. Flowers cup-shaped, pinkish white, strongly fragrant. Leaves round or oblong, leathery and entire, leaf surface green, leaf underside purplish red. Underground stem creeping, few branches. Suitable water depth 45 to 90 cm.
2. Masaniello (Nymphaea 'Masaniello')
Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from late April to early October. Flowers cup-shaped, inner petals magenta red, outer petals lighter; slightly fragrant. Leaves nearly round, leathery and entire, leaf surface green, leaf underside green, young leaves purplish red. Marliacea-type rhizome. Suitable water depth 45 to 90 cm.
3. Mexican yellow water lily (N. mexicana Zuccarini (N. mexicana No.1))
Flowers open at noon and close in the evening, emerging above the water. A single flower lasts 2 to 3 days; the population flowering period is from late May to early September. Flowers cup-shaped then star-shaped, petals deep yellow, sweetly fragrant. Leaves ovate, margin slightly serrate. Leaf surface green, new leaves olive green, densely covered with purple or reddish brown spots; leaf underside copper red with small purple spots. Upright rhizome, running runners. Suitable water depth 45 to 75 cm.
4. Lausanne (Nymphaea 'Rose Arey')
Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from mid-to-late May to early September. Flowers cup-shaped, pale pink, strongly fragrant. Leaves nearly round, leaf surface green; leaf underside purplish red. Marliacea-type tuber. Suitable water depth 35 to 75 cm.
5. White Fairy (Nymphaea 'Gonnere')
Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 4 days; the population flowering period is from late May to late September. Flowers spherical, white, aromatic. Leaves ovate-round, leaf surface green, leaf underside dark purple copper. Marliacea-type rhizome. Suitable water depth 35 to 75 cm.
6. Helvola (Nymphaea 'Helvola')
Flowers open in the afternoon and close at night, floating. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from late May to late September. Flowers cup-shaped then star-shaped, medium yellow, lightly fragrant. Leaves ovate, leaf surface green with dark stripes and deep purple patches; leaf underside red with deep purple spots. Finger-type rhizome. Suitable water depth 15 to 23 cm.
7. Sunrise (Nymphaea 'Sunrise')
Flowers open in the morning and close at noon, emerging above the water. A single flower lasts 2 to 3 days; the population flowering period is from late May to early October. Flowers star-shaped, yellow, lightly fragrant. Leaves round, leaf length slightly greater than leaf width, leaf surface green, leaf underside yellow. Marliacea-type rhizome. Suitable water depth 45 to 90 cm.
8. Colorado (Nymphaea 'Colorado')
Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, emerging above the water. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from early June to early November. Flowers orange-yellow at low temperatures and orange-red at high temperatures; star-shaped. Leaves round, leaf surface green, leaf underside with a slight red flush at the margin. Marliacea-type tuber. Suitable water depth 45 to 90 cm.
9. Fire Crest (Nymphaea 'Fire Crest')
Flowers open in the morning and close at noon, emerging above the water. A single flower lasts 3 days; the population flowering period is from early June to early September. Flowers star-shaped, pale purple-pink, slightly fragrant. Leaves round, leaf surface green, new leaves deep purple; leaf underside deep purple. Odorata-type rhizome. Suitable water depth 30 to 60 cm.
10. Almost Black (Nymphaea 'Almost Black')
Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from late June to early October. Flowers cup-shaped, ink red, fragrant. Leaves round, leaf surface green, leaf underside pale green. Marliacea-type tuber. Suitable water depth 45 to 90 cm.
11. Alba Plenissima (Nymphaea 'Alba Plenssima')
Opens in the morning and closes in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from late May to late September. Flowers cup-shaped to star-shaped, white, lightly fragrant on the day of opening. Leaves round, leaf surface green; leaf underside pale yellow-green. Marliacea-type rhizome. Suitable water depth 45 to 90 cm.
12. Arc-en-Ciel (Nymphaea 'Arc-en-Ciel')
Flowers open in the morning and close at noon, emerging above the water. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from early June to late September. Flowers star-shaped, first shell pink and then white or nearly white, delicately fragrant. Leaves round, leaf surface olive green, with radiating yellow, cream yellow, pink, and red spots, or pink or slightly reddish patches; leaf underside brownish red. Odorata-type tuber. Suitable water depth 45 to 90 cm.
13. Ellisiana (Nymphaea 'Ellisiana')
Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from mid-to-late May to late September. Flowers star-shaped, petals red. Leaves horseshoe-shaped, young and mature leaves both green. Marliacea-type tuber. Suitable water depth 15 to 23 cm.
14. Commanche (Nymphaea 'Commanche')
Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 days; the population flowering period is from late May to late September. Flowers cup-shaped, pale orange-yellow, lightly fragrant. Young leaf surface with dense reddish brown spots. On mature leaves, the spots on the upper surface become lighter, but they remain relatively obvious on the underside. Marliacea-type tuber. Suitable water depth 30 to 45 cm.
15. Sunshine Princess (Nymphaea 'Sunshine Princess')
Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating on the water surface. A single flower lasts 4 to 5 days; the population flowering period is from early June to late September. Flowers first cup-shaped then star-shaped, deep rose red. Leaves horseshoe-shaped, young leaves dark red with a few deep red spots; mature leaves green. Suitable water depth 45 to 90 cm.
16. Chromatella (Nymphaea 'Chromatella')
Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 days; the population flowering period is from late May to late September. Flowers cup-shaped, pale red-yellow, lightly fragrant. Leaves round, leaf surface green, new leaves green with purple spots; leaf underside purplish red, new leaves green with small purple spots. Pineapple-type rhizome. Suitable water depth 45 to 75 cm.
17. Peter (Nymphaea 'Peter Slocum')
Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, emerging above the water. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from early June to late September. Flowers peony-shaped, medium pink, strongly fragrant. Leaves round, leaf surface green, leaf underside red; when the leaf blade emerges above the water surface, the leaf underside is green. Odorata-type rhizome. Suitable water depth 35 to 75 cm.
18. Virginalis (Nymphaea 'Virginalis')
Flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon, floating. A single flower lasts 3 to 4 days; the population flowering period is from mid-to-late May to late September. Flowers cup-shaped, white, base slightly flushed with red, slightly fragrant. Leaf upper surface green, underside pale brown. Marliacea-type tuber. Suitable water depth 35 to 75 cm.
19. Pygmy water lily
Miniature water lily, flowers exquisite and fragrant. Flowers white. Flower diameter about 2.5 cm. Leaves small, ovate. Leaf upper surface green, underside purple. Can set seed and can be propagated by sowing.
Distribution range of water lilies
Most water lilies are native to North Africa and the tropical regions of Southeast Asia, with a few from South Africa, Europe, and the temperate and cold regions of Asia, including Japan, Korea, India, the former Soviet Union, Siberia, and Europe. At present, they are cultivated in all provinces and regions of China. Water lily is the most widely distributed genus in the water lily family; except for Antarctica, traces of water lilies can be found all over the world. The rhizome of water lilies can be eaten or used to make wine, and can also be used as medicine to treat chronic infantile convulsions.
Uses of water lilies: purification value
Water lilies were used in gardens very early. More than 2,000 years ago, they already appeared in private gardens of China's Han Dynasty. In the 16th century, Italy used them as a themed material for waterscapes. Because water lily roots can absorb toxic substances such as mercury, lead, and phenol in water and can also filter microorganisms in water, they are a rare plant material for water purification, so they are highly valued in urban water purification, greening, and beautification construction.
Ornamental value
Water lilies are ornamental plants with both beautiful flowers and leaves. In ancient Greece and Rome, they were initially revered and offered as goddesses. In current European and American gardens, water lilies are very commonly used as themed materials for waterscapes. In China, more than 2,000 years ago in Han Dynasty private gardens, they were already used, such as the five-colored water lily pond in the garden of Marquis of Bolu Huo Guang.
In ancient Egypt, water lilies were already cultivated as early as more than 2,000 years ago and were regarded as a symbol of the sun and considered a sacred flower. In coronation ceremonies of successive dynasties and in folk carving art and murals, they were used as offerings or decorations.
In the heat of summer, as a cool breeze comes gently and blue waves ripple, clumps of beautiful water lilies lightly dance with flowers and leaves, graceful in form and shadow, like fairies walking on waves, pleasing to the eye and refreshing to the heart, and one cannot help but recall ancient lines such as "She does not cross the Hengtang Road, but I can only gaze after her fragrant dust as she goes." and "Drifting and seeming divine, walking lightly on waves."
They are also cultivated as beautiful ornamental plants. The rhizome contains starch and is used for food or wine-making. The stems and petals are also edible. The whole plant can be used as green manure and can also be used as medicine to treat chronic infantile convulsions. There are about more than 7 species in China in the same genus as water lilies, such as white water lily, red water lily, yellow water lily, and so on. All can be used for ornamental purposes.
Dietary or medicinal value of water lilies
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Edible value
Water lily rhizomes are rich in starch and can be eaten or used to make wine. The whole plant is suitable for green manure, and its rhizome can be eaten or used medicinally. The rhizome can also be used as medicine, as a tonic and astringent, and can be used to treat nephritis.
Nutritional components
According to an analysis of the nutritional components of water lilies, the results show that water lilies are rich in 17 amino acids, and water lily protein is a high-quality protein. The analysis results also show that water lilies are rich in VC, flavonoid glycosides, and the trace element zinc. The combination of these two has a strong lead-removing function. Animal acute toxicity tests, micronucleus tests, and sperm abnormality tests all indicate that water lily is a safe and reliable substance with no toxic side effects. Water lily pollen is rich in nutrients and has the characteristics of completeness, balance, and concentration, making it a natural nutrient source with prospects for development and utilization.
Medicinal value
As early as the Qin and Han dynasties, people already used water lilies as a tonic medicine; lotus medicine also has a history of more than 2,000 years in China. It is recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica that lotus, lotus seeds, lotus seed coat, lotus receptacle, lotus stamens, lotus plumule, lotus leaves, lotus stems, and lotus nodes can all be used medicinally. Lotus can promote blood circulation and stop bleeding, remove dampness and dispel wind, clear the heart and cool the blood, and relieve heat and detoxify. Lotus seeds can nourish the heart, benefit the kidneys, tonify the spleen, and astringe the intestines. Lotus stamens can clear the heart, benefit the kidneys, astringe essence, stop bleeding, relieve summerheat and restlessness, and promote fluid production and quench thirst. Lotus leaves can clear summerheat and promote diuresis, raise yang and stop bleeding, and reduce weight and slim the body. Among them, the components of lotus leaves have remarkable effects on cleansing the stomach and intestines and reducing fat and removing blood stasis. Lotus nodes can stop bleeding, dissipate blood stasis, and relieve heat toxin. Lotus stems can clear heat and relieve summerheat, regulate qi and promote water movement, and purge fire and clear the heart.
Garden uses of water lilies: landscape applications
Water lilies were used in gardens very early. In the 16th century, Italy used them as a themed material for water gardens. Two thousand years ago, water lilies also appeared in private gardens of China's Han Dynasty. Water lilies have both beautiful flowers and leaves, rich flower colors, and a long flowering period, and are deeply loved by people. The roots of water lilies can absorb toxic substances such as lead, mercury, and phenol in water, and they are a rare plant material for water purification. Therefore, they are highly valued in urban water purification, greening, and beautification construction.
Water lily is a perennial emergent herb, dark green, flowering in May. It has strong adaptability. Garden application: water lily leaves are green and glossy, large and green, flowers are gorgeous, pests and diseases are few, and cultivation and management are simple. In gardens, they are planted in clumps at the edges of lakes and ponds, or used as accents in courtyard waterscapes and beside water-side rockeries, and have good ornamental value.
In garden waterscapes across China, water lilies of various colors are often planted, either in pots or in ponds, for people to enjoy. Pond planting is divided into natural ponds and artificial ponds. Natural ponds, because of irregular shapes, large water surfaces, deep water levels, and no drainage and irrigation systems, should first be modified according to the situation, planting deep-water-tolerant cultivars. To avoid mixing cultivars, the pond can be divided into several small sections, with one cultivar per section. In this kind of large-area planting, when growth is vigorous, it can present a magnificent landscape. Artificial ponds, with concrete structures and varying shapes, can be designed according to requirements. The drainage and irrigation system is good, and the water level can be controlled.
This type of pond can use potted submerged planting, and waterscape materials can be placed flexibly, making design and adjustment easy. For example, with water lilies as the theme, paired with materials such as Victoria amazonica, gorgon euryale, lotus, Nymphoides peltata, cattail, and iris, placing them in different ways will form different waterscape effects. In addition to pond planting, according to landscape needs, refined vats and pots can be selected and placed in front of buildings, sculptures, and rockery stones, often achieving unexpectedly special effects. Miniature cultivars among water lilies can be used to decorate rooms. Plant them in refined small pots, pair them with exquisite and elegant pot stands, and place them in appropriate positions. Then this small life, with its glossy green leaves and delicate flower buds and its faint, elusive fragrance, bathed in indoor lighting and complementing the room's other decorations, is pleasing to the eye.
Garden management
Water lilies are long-day plants, and the planting site should have sufficient light and good ventilation. Water lilies also have certain requirements for water level at different growth stages. For potted plants placed outdoors, use shallow water in the early stage and full water in the peak period. For potted submerged planting, in the early stage the water should just slightly cover the pot rim; as the leaves grow, gradually raise the water level, with the water surface about 20 to 30 cm from the pot; in the peak period, the water surface should be 30 to 50 cm from the pot rim. For pond-planted water lilies, when the rainy season arrives and the water depth exceeds 1 meter, drain promptly.
In the early growth stage of potted water lilies, if the base fertilizer is sufficient, top dressing is not necessary. During the flowering period, to promote flower bud differentiation, apply quick-acting potassium dihydrogen phosphate as top dressing (use absorbent paper to wrap the fertilizer, 5 grams per packet, 2 packets per tank, and several small holes can be made in the packet. Insert along the pot wall below the rhizome, once every half month, for 3 to 4 consecutive applications). For pond planting, as long as there is a fertile layer of mud at the bottom of the pond, top dressing is not necessary. Pay attention to removing weeds and dead leaves in the pot and algae in the pond. If there is too much algae, spray 0.3% to 0.5% copper sulfate solution once every half month for several consecutive times, which can play a certain control role.
For overwintering protection, potted plants can be stored in cellars. For cold-hardy cultivars, the cellar temperature should be 0 to 5°C; for tropical cultivars, the cellar temperature should be kept at 10 to 15°C to avoid freezing damage. For pond planting, cold-hardy cultivars can overwinter under the ice at the bottom of the pond; tropical cultivars in the north can have their bulbs taken out of the pond and stored in a greenhouse at 10 to 15°C by stratification in sand until planting when it turns warm the following year.
Source of the elegant name of water lily
The scientific name of the water lily genus, NYMPHAEA, comes from the Latin NYMPH, meaning a nymph who lives in watery realms. In ancient Greece and ancient Rome, the water lily, like the lotus in China, was regarded as the embodiment of holiness and beauty, and was often used as an offering to goddesses. In the New Testament, there is also the saying of "a holy thing, emerging from mud yet unstained."
Water lily flower meaning: The water lily is the birth flower of 8/5, with the flower meaning: Glamorous, pure, and innocent. Legend says the water lily is the goddess of mountain forests and swamps. Its genus name Nymphaea means "goddess of the water." In another version of the 365-day birth flower list, the water lily is the birth flower of April 20 each year, with the flower meaning of lyricism.
Ancient Egyptians called the water lily the "bride of the Nile" and often used it as a theme in murals. There are also alluringly beautiful flower names such as "perfume lily" and "flower of the fairies," because its flower meaning is glamorous.
Anyone born under the blessing of this flower is naturally endowed with a charm that the opposite sex finds hard to resist, yet finds it difficult to get along peacefully with friends of the same sex. Therefore, when in love, most of the obstacles come from a third party, that is, a romantic rival, so one must be especially careful!
The water lily is also the national flower of Thailand, Egypt, and Bangladesh; Thailand is a Buddhist country, and the lotus has countless ties with Buddhism. Whether it is where the Tathagata Buddha sits or where Guanyin stands, there are thousand-layered lotus flowers, symbolizing holiness, solemnity, and reverence. Those who believe in Buddhism must deeply love the lotus. The water lily and the lotus both belong to the Nymphaeaceae family, so their names are sometimes easily confused; in Buddhism, they are generally all called lotus.
The flower meaning of the water lily is purity, welcoming the morning vitality, and casting off the evening gloom; legend says the water lily is the goddess of mountain forests and swamps. Its genus name Nymphaea means "goddess of the water." In fact, the water lily does not truly "fall asleep"; it is simply especially sensitive to sunlight. When morning light shines on the closed water lily flower, the outer part exposed to light grows more slowly, while the inner petals not exposed to light grow rapidly, so the petals are "pried" open from the inside outward; in the afternoon, when the flower is fully open and the petals extend horizontally, the light-receiving side of the petals is exactly opposite to that in the morning. The inner layer of the petals receives light and grows more slowly, while the shaded outer layer grows faster and gradually surpasses the inner layer, so the flower closes. In Thailand, Buddhism is regarded as the state religion, and more than 90% of the people believe in Buddhism. The lotus is regarded by Buddhism as a sacred object symbolizing good fortune, so Buddhists greatly revere the lotus, and they believe that among lotuses the water lily is the most beautiful, so Thailand designated the water lily as its national flower.
There are many kinds of water lilies, about 40 species, distributed in temperate and tropical regions. Europe and Egypt have white water lilies, India has red water lilies and blue water lilies, and Mexico has yellow water lilies, all with elegant and charming flower shapes. The United States and the Cape of Good Hope also have a white fragrant water lily with an extremely strong scent, not only dazzling in flower but also refreshingly fragrant. In China, the common one is the white water lily. Its flowers mostly open from the "zi" hour (1 a.m.) to the "wu" hour (12 noon) each day, and after 12 noon they gradually close, so it is also called "ziwu lotus." Egypt also designates the water lily as its national flower, mainly the white water lily.
The cultural background and legends of the water lily
Legend says that long ago, a girl lived in a remote mountain village, where a river surrounded the village. One day, that river dried up, and for the sake of her family, the girl rushed about all day just to find a pitifully small amount of water.
On a foggy morning, she was walking alone along the river, her heart full of sorrow. Suddenly, a voice came clearly into her ears: "Your eyes are so beautiful." At the moment she turned back, she saw a fish in the mud of the river looking at her. It was a beautiful fish, its scales as blue as the sky, it had a pair of gentle eyes, and its voice was also so clear and transparent.
The fish told the girl that if she was willing to come see him often and let him see her eyes, he could give her a jar of water, though of course that was nothing more than an excuse. The fish's heart was as spotless as hers. So the girl met the fish every morning, and the fish kept his promise. Every day, her family kept asking about the source of the water, but the girl only smiled and did not answer.
Although they looked at each other across the water, a certain state of mind could still connect them. On the third day, the girl found that she had fallen in love with the fish. In the morning mist, the lingering affection was almost unreal. Finally, the fish told the girl that he hoped she would become his wife, and the girl, full of tenderness, agreed. So the fish came out of the river and embraced the girl on the bank. Thus they became husband and wife.
Finally, one day the villagers saw the scene of their meeting. They believed the fish had used sorcery on the girl. So they locked the girl up and came to the river with knives, forks, and spears. They called out the fish and threatened him with his wife. At the moment he appeared, they struck, and the fish died in despair. Then the people carried the fish's corpse back in triumph. They threw the fish's corpse at the girl's feet.
She fantasized that he would wake up. But that only brought her heartbreak. So she picked up the already cold fish and walked toward the river. If time cannot heal the pain, then death always can. Thus they died under the astonished and suspicious gazes of the people. Yet their children multiplied in the water for generations. That is today's water lily.
Development trends
Chinese botanists have paid far less attention to water lilies than to lotuses. Foreign botanists, however, have paid considerable attention to them. As early as 150 years ago, French botanists successfully bred dozens of cultivars, some of which have survived to this day, making great contributions to ornamental horticulture.
In 1912, the Missouri Botanical Garden in the United States began water lily breeding work under the guidance of George Pring and bred a large number of ideal varieties. To this day, the number and quality of water lily varieties bred by American botanists remain second to none, with more than ten varieties registered, recorded, and marketed every year. In addition, a large number of monographs on water lilies continue to appear, and their work has gradually attracted the attention of the botanical community. Chinese botanists have not paid enough attention to research on water lilies and for many years have remained only at the stage of collecting varieties; breeding work is still a blank in China. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Beijing Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences introduced several tropical varieties, which have been preserved to this day; in 1983, the Nanjing Botanical Garden introduced 17 cold-hardy varieties from the Washington Arboretum in the United States, but failed to breed new varieties; in the late 1990s, the Wuhan Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences caught up from behind, collecting more than 50 varieties, and once published "Introduction and Cultivation of Nymphaea Plants," which appeared in the "Collected Papers on Plant Introduction and Acclimatization." Researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Beijing Botanical Garden have begun breeding work on water lilies, and it is expected that in two or three years a batch of new varieties will come onto the market, allowing Chinese water lilies to go to the world like lotuses.
National flowers and city flowers of the water lily
The water lily is the national flower of Thailand, Bangladesh, and the ancient civilization of Egypt.
The flower meaning of the water lily
Water lily flower meaning: pure, innocent, glamorous. Pure, welcoming the morning vitality, casting off the evening gloom.
In ancient Greece and ancient Rome, the water lily, like the lotus in China, was regarded as the embodiment of holiness and beauty, and was often used as an offering to goddesses. In the New Testament, there is also the saying of "a holy thing, emerging from mud yet unstained."
The water lily is the birth flower of August 5 each year, with flower meanings: pure, innocent, glamorous. In the minds of Germans, the water lily's flower meaning is Glamorous. Anyone born under the blessing of this flower is naturally endowed with a charm that the opposite sex finds hard to resist, yet finds it difficult to get along peacefully with friends of the same sex.
In ancient Egyptian mythology, the sun was born from the blooming of the lotus, so the water lily was revered as the "sacred flower" and became a totem throughout the columns of ancient Egyptian temples, symbolizing the blessing of "only beginning, never vanishing."
Water lily pictures
How do water lilies reproduce? The three propagation methods of water lilies (cuttings/division/sowing)
The water lily, similar in appearance to the lotus, is a relatively precious flower, seen mostly by park lakesides and often kept by people as a potted plant at home. In daily cultivation, everyone only needs to know the planting methods of water lilies, but for experienced growers, mastering the propagation methods of water lilies is equally important. So how do water lilies reproduce? Follow the editor to learn more.
1. How do water lilies reproduce? Cuttings/division/sowing
There are many varieties of water lilies, and the flower colors are also very rich, so propagating several different kinds of water lilies and growing them together makes the beautiful scene when they bloom something worth looking forward to. As for how water lilies reproduce, there are three methods: cuttings, division, and sowing. Let us continue below to look at the specific operations.
2. The three propagation methods of water lilies
Cutting propagation, division propagation, sowing propagation
(1) Cutting propagation of water lilies
① Cutting time
Among the propagation methods of water lilies, the choice of time is very important. For water lily cuttings, spring and autumn should be chosen, as this is the vigorous growth period.
② Selection of cuttings
In the cutting propagation of flowers, the most important thing is the cutting, and choosing well directly affects the survival rate after propagation. When choosing adventitious buds for cutting propagation, flower lovers should select mature and robust leaves of the water lily.
③ Preparation before cutting
Before cutting, flower lovers also need to make some preparations. First, fill the flowerpot with field soil or clayey soil, then water it thoroughly, and then apply a small amount of organic fertilizer.
④ Starting the cutting
Place the cutting into the prepared flowerpot, press the leaf upside down into the water, and press soil around it. The adventitious buds should face upward, and the leaf should be immersed in the water.
⑤ Management after cutting
After completing the above work, the cutting propagation of the water lily is basically finished, and what remains is only care. Water lilies like strong light very much, so flower lovers should cultivate them in a place with half a day of sunlight or more, apply organic fertilizer once a year, and after two or three years can trim the roots and change the soil.
(2) Division propagation of water lilies
Besides cuttings, water lilies mainly adopt division propagation. According to different water lily varieties, the division time is different:
① Division time
For cold-hardy water lilies, divide in early spring before sprouting, in March to April; for non-cold-hardy water lilies, divide when the climate is warm, generally around mid-May.
② Division method
First, dig out the rhizome of the water lily, select rhizomes with plump new buds, cut them into root segments 8-10 cm long, each segment with at least 1 bud. Then, bury them in the surface soil with the top bud facing upward. The soil depth in the flowerpot is best such that the bud eye is level with the soil surface.
③ Care and management
After planting, let it sit in the sun for a while before adding shallow water, to help maintain the water temperature, but do not pour water too deep, otherwise it will affect sprouting. When the temperature rises and the new buds begin to sprout, then deepen the water level. Then place it in a well-ventilated place with plenty of sunlight for care. Note: in high temperatures, keep the water in the pot clean.
(3) Sowing propagation of water lilies
Any flower with seeds can be propagated by sowing, and water lilies also bear fruit after flowering, so the propagation methods of water lilies can also include sowing. Specific operation: after the water lily seeds are harvested, they must be stored in water. The sowing time should be March to April, using fertile clay loam for the potting soil. The soil should not be filled too full, and should be 5-6 cm below the rim of the pot.
After the water lily seeds are sown, cover with 1 cm of soil, press firmly, and immerse in water, with the water surface 3-4 cm above the potting soil. After that, cover the pot with glass and place it in a sunny, warm place to raise the temperature inside the pot. The sowing temperature is best at 25-30°C. After about half a month they sprout, and in the second year they can bloom.