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Ponds & Aquatic Plants

Help!!! Water lilies came today...too early!

16 years ago

When I ordered my winter hardy water lilies from a Texas grower I told him to send them in mid-April (this date may have been too early). They came today and are in active growth with large, ready to open buds. What can be done now? Can they be salvaged? I do not have access to the pond until mid-April, and perhaps then is still to early to plant. When is the earliest time to plant active growing, winter hardies in the water garden here in zone 5/6 W. PA?

Right now the lilies are in air tight plastic bags and look very healthy.

Thank you.

Rootman

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Comments (8)

catherinet
16 years ago
Hi rootman,
I'm no expert, but if they are hardy, they should be okay.
It wouldn't be too early to put them in a pond now, but since you don't have a pond, I would probably put them in a bucket/tub, outside, in a shaded protected area, and just wait. I'm thinking sun will stimulate them too much.
Hopefully others with more experience will chime in here.
Have you potted them up yet? That's what I would do.......pot them up and put the pot in a bucket/tub of water outside, and just let them go for awhile. I don't think you'll hurt them.
If the buds die, just be sure to fertilize them well when your pond is ready. Good luck!
(Which ones did you get?)
nkm56
16 years ago
My lilies last year came before I was ready form them. I went ahead and potted them and just set the pots in buckets of water that could be moved in and out as weather permitted.
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ccoombs1
16 years ago
don't worry too much about them....they are tough!! Just stick them bare root in a bucket of water in a protected place and plant them when you can get to it. I have held water lilies for months this way. They do just fine.
rootman
Original Author
16 years ago
Dear Respondants,

I thank you very much for your advice. I had a water garden years ago (did not grow water lilies then), soon to be back in the saddle...so essentially I have "beginners jitters" all over again. Although my first choices were: PERRY'S FIRE OPAL, GONNERE WHITE, and PINK GRAPEFRUIT, at the recommendation of the grower, I received DALLAS, NYMPHEA ODERATA, and LEMON MIST. Any of you growing these?

By the way, the specimen sent of DALLAS was considerably smaller in root mass and leaf size when compared to the other two, is it a miniature water lily? Also if you can, please estimate for me the area (feet across), each will cover by season's end if given reasonable, average care, I will be grateful.

Thanks again, Rootman
pikecoe
16 years ago
I know nothing about the ones you bought. Am disappointed you didn't go with your first choices as they are some of my favorites. Glenda
youreit
16 years ago
'Dallas' - Soft, pale rose-pink. Peony-shaped blooms of 5-6 inches with big, round petals. Green leaves. Grows to 6-12 feet wide in full sun in 6-24 inches of water. Odorata-type rhizome. Good for medium to large ponds.

'Lemon Mist' - Lemon-sherbet-yellow. Goblet-shaped blooms of 4-6 inches. Green, mottled leaves. Grows to 3-5 feet wide in full sun in 6-36 inches of water. Mexicana- or Marliac-type rhizome. Good for small or medium ponds.

Not sure about the N. odorata species, but there is an 'Odorata Dwarf' and an 'Odorata Gigantea' (syn. N. odorata 'Aiton'). Do you know which one you might have?

Brenda
pikecoe
16 years ago
The only place that I could find pictures of these lilies was at Texaswaterlilies. I know pictures are not always accurate, but it looks like there is not a lot of difference in the Lemon Mist and the Nymphea Oderata as far as the color and size of the bloom. It say's the Oderata is a 3 inch bloom. Glenda
lefd05
16 years ago
I don't have the lilies you received but I believe they are medium to large growing lilies.
Check out Victoria Adventure for more pictures.
http://www.victoria-adventure.org/waterlilies/waterlilies_galleries_main.html

They will be fine if you put them in a tub of water such as a large plastic tote or whatever you have that will hold the water. You could even go ahead and get them planted in pots now and get an inexpensive preform unit or 100 gallon stock tank to put them in. That way they will start getting established and all you will have to do is move them to your pond.

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