Dragonfly Aquatics Blog » Hardy Water lilies

Spring & New Water Lilies

dragonfly — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 22:23:56 +0000

I’m not certain what happened to Spring here but I think it may have been here but we missed it……yesterday little snow flakes were appearing and in a couple days its going to be in the 70s. What’s up with that???

But even though we’re all anxious for the weather to turn nice so we can begin planting our flowers, vegetables gardens and clean our ponds, we have begun sending allot of nice plants to those who have the warm weather. Lucky them!

Dragonfly Aquatics has a couple new hardy water lilies to introduce. Hidden Violet which is a very unusual waterlily. Large red-violet flowers with pointed petals that catch the eye. The leaves are a darker green which gives a nice contrast to the flowers. It requires full sun as most of the red hardy waterlilies do and performs well.

The other new water lily is Walter Pagels, a very creamy white hardy water lily with with a hint of pale pink. This water lily is considered a medium hardy water lily and is an excellent choice for small to medium size ponds. Unlike the red water lilies it will perform well in sun to part shade. It also is one of the water lilies that will stay open later in the day for more enjoyment.

Highland Rim Aquatic Fertilizer Tablets

dragonfly — Tue, 25 May 2010 02:07:24 +0000

Aquatic pond plants need to be fertilized monthly to flourish and bloom profusely. At Dragonfly Aquatics we recommend Highland Rim Aquatic Plant Fertilizer tablets. Specially formulated for blooming aquatic plants, with a 10-26-10 nutrient ratio.Highland Rim Fertilizer tablets give your waterlilies, lotuses and blooming marginals plenty of phosphorus to produce the most spectacular blossoms possible. The large 10-gram tablets are safe and non-toxic. They will not promote algae blooms in ponds and they will not harm fish or other aquatic life. Highland Rim Aquatic Plant Fertilizer is available in packs of 12, 36, 80 or 300 tablets. Be sure to order fertilizer tablets with your next plant order.

Poor Lily Performance

dragonfly — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:02:30 +0000

As the weather warms up and we begin to assess what plants we want to add to our ponds this spring, make sure you check out your hardy water lilies to see if they are in need of re-potting. Adding Highland Rim Fertilizer tablets at this time is also a must do. Water lilies need to be fertilized every 4-6 weeks to ensure plenty of flowers this summer.

Dividing the water lilies and re-potting them in early spring will ensure a better performing water lily this summer. Several lilies in the same pot compete for available nutrients resulting in fewer flowers this summer.

Water lilies need to be planted in at least a 1 gallon planting container for best performance. The medium to large varieties should be potted in a 2 to 5 gallon planting container to reach maximum flowering and growing potential. Don’t be fooled by purchasing a potted lily in a 4 inch pot and expect it to flourish in your pond. You will end up paying more for the lily, and will still need to purchase a larger container to re-pot the lily in.

Aurora (Nymphaea ‘Aurora’ Hardy Water Lily

dragonfly — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:50:58 +0000

‘Aurora’ hardy water lily is an ideal smaller water lily for tub, containers or small ponds. This is also a great small lily to put into a stream or bog area as long as there isn’t splashing of water. Attractive purplish and green leaves give this lily a stunning look. The buds appear cream colored and open to yellow flowers, then turn through colors ending in red. This transformation takes place over several days so a number of different colors may be seen at the same time. A truly remarkable water lily. Place the lily 12-18 inches below the water surface. It will spread approximately 12-24 inches.

Propagation: By division of the established crowns during the growing season. You can replant them right away in their own container and grow more plants.

Buy Aurora, Hardy Water Lily here.

‘James Brydon’ Nymphaea ‘James Brydon’

dragonfly — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 01:31:21 +0000

James Brydon’ a popular hardy waterlily is one of my favorites. Its unique peony-shaped blooms are a rich deep red color that grow 4-6 inches and has a spread of about 4-12 feet wide in full sun to part shade. Its leaves open a burgundy color but change to a medium shade of green. Depth can be 6 – 48 inches. It is one of the red hardy waterlilies that can tolerate more shade than the others. Its a good choice lily for any pond small to large.

Buy James Brydon, hardy water lily here.