Water lily varieties and container growing methods, why won't they bloom?

Water lily, also known as Ziwulian, dwarf water lily, pygmy water lily, etc., is a perennial aquatic herb of the genus Nymphaea in the family Nymphaeaceae. Its oval leaves float on the water surface, and its flowers are large and beautiful, floating on or rising above the water surface. It usually blooms during the day and closes at night. So do you know what different varieties of water lilies there are? What are the container growing methods? Why won't they bloom?

I. What different varieties of water lilies are there?

1. White water lily

Native to the Nile River in Egypt. Flower diameter 20~25 cm, large-flowered type, blooming above the water. Flower color white, petals 20~25, long ovate, with rounded blunt tips. Sepals green, veins obvious. Flower stalks and leaf stalks green with soft hairs. Leaf diameter 42~40 cm, leaf surface green, leaf underside slightly red, leaf margin wavy and serrated. Stamens pale yellow, 70~100.

2. Blue water lily

Native to North Africa, Egypt, and Mexico. Flower diameter 15~20 cm, large-flowered type, blooming above the water. Petals 16~20, flowers star-shaped when open. Flower stalks and leaf stalks pale reddish-brown. Leaf diameter 32~30 cm, leaf surface green, leaf underside dark red-purple with small purple spots, leaf margin slightly wavy, leaf base deeply cleft. Stamens 80~100.

3. Yellow water lily

Native to southern North America, Mexico, and Florida in the United States. Flower diameter 10~14 cm, medium-flowered type, flowers floating on the water or slightly above the water surface. Flower color bright yellow, petals 24~30, ovate-elliptic. Young leaves have dense purple spots on the leaf surface; mature leaves green, with dense dark purple spots on the leaf underside, leaf margin entire, leaf base shallowly cleft. Stamens bright yellow, 60~90.

4. Red water lily

Native to India, Bangladesh, and surrounding areas. Flower diameter about 20 cm, large-flowered type, blooming above the water. Flower color peach-red, petals 20~25, long ovate, sepals purplish-red, veins obvious. Flower stalks and leaf stalks dark purple. Leaf diameter 42~40 cm, young leaves purplish-red on the leaf surface, mature leaves green, leaf underside with soft hairs, leaf margin wavy and serrated, leaf base deeply cleft. Stamens yellow, 70~100, can set seed with artificial pollination.

5. Indian blue water lily

Also called star water lily or Nymphaea stellata, native to India and Southeast Asia, with domestic distribution in southern Yunnan and Hainan Island. Flower diameter 15~18 cm, large-flowered type, blooming above the water, flowers star-shaped when open, fragrant. Petals 15~18, tips pointed, deep blue, middle and lower parts pale blue, sepals with ink-purple spots on the back. Flower stalks and leaf stalks green. Leaf diameter 34~32 cm, leaf surface green with purple spots, leaf underside with dark purple spots, leaf margin entire. Stamens 70~100, filaments flattened, tips pale blue, with extremely strong seed-setting ability.

II. How do you grow potted water lilies?

1. Soil

It has specific requirements for soil, which is to say that ordinary soil cannot satisfy it. The best soil is one containing plenty of humus, and we need clay loam, and of course it must also be fertile. This soil actually matters a great deal, because relatively sticky soil will affect the growth and swelling of the rhizome, while relatively loose soil can easily cause it to be damaged by wind and lead to root problems. So the best option is to use soil from a pond, or use a mixture of garden soil, loess, and sandy soil. In fact, the soil it needs is somewhat alkaline, so we generally keep it at 6.5 to 7.5.

2. Light

The light it likes is strong light. We need to let it stay under light for seven or eight hours every day, which is greatly beneficial to it. For example, it can make its flower buds increase, and the flowering period will also become longer. Because it loves light, we must not let it stay in shade all the time. If you want to place it indoors, you cannot leave it there too long; the next-best option is to grow it on a balcony. In addition, we must not let it be exposed to the scorching sun at noon.

3. Temperature

This factor cannot be treated casually, because it is very strict about it. Its sprouting temperature is between 8 degrees and 10 degrees, while the temperature for rhizome growth is 14 degrees. As for growth, its temperature requirement is between 25 and 30. In addition, we should know one thing: on days with alternating sun and rain, it grows more rapidly.

4. Fertilizing

This is an essential step. Generally, the amount of base fertilizer we give it depends on the size of the pot. One month after planting it, we need to apply liquid fertilizer to it. In addition, after it grows leaves and sends out shoots, we also need to apply additional fertilizer, and the number of applications needs to reach one or two times. When the flowers are in full bloom, we need to apply superphosphate to it every week.

5. Water

We need to add water to it every day in summer, and the water quality must be guaranteed. In autumn and winter, the amount of water added does not need to be too much.

III. Why won't water lilies bloom?

1. Water lilies not blooming is a problem of variety

When growing water lilies, if you want them to produce beautiful flowers, you need to choose suitable varieties, because some varieties do not bloom so easily.

When growing water lilies at home, it is best to choose free-flowering water lily varieties, and then meet various growth needs; they are relatively easy to bloom.

2. Water lilies not blooming is due to light

Simply put, water lilies do not bloom because of insufficient light. A necessary condition for water lily growth is sufficient light. If light is insufficient for a long time, water lilies will show luxuriant branches and leaves but poor flowering, and may even fail to bloom. In addition, if water lilies are kept in a relatively hidden place for a long time and lack ventilation, moss is more likely to grow on the water surface, the plant grows relatively weakly, and the phenomenon of only growing leaves without flowering will appear. So when growing water lilies, you need to give them full sun.

3. Water lilies not blooming is because they have not been divided for a long time

When growing water lilies in pots, it is best to divide them once every 1 year or 2 years. If they are not divided for a long time, the root system of the water lilies in the flowerpot will become relatively crowded and blocked, root growth will be poor, and flowering will be affected. So after growing water lilies for a period of time, they need to be divided.

4. Water lilies not blooming is because too many were planted

When planting water lilies, sometimes many may be planted at once, causing crowding in the pot, limited space, difficulty for the root system to spread, and crowded leaves. The result is poor ventilation, which affects the plant's normal flowering; even if it blooms, the quality is not good.

When planting water lilies, you must reasonably control the planting density and the number planted, so that they are beautiful and grow well.

5. Water lilies not blooming is because too much base fertilizer was used

In the early stage of water lily growth, applying too much fertilizer, especially base fertilizer, is very unfavorable to their flowering. In addition, if the soil is poor at planting time, nutrient loss will also cause water lilies not to bloom.