You are in Long Beach, I am in Manhattan Beach, I have never had root rot or fungus on water lilies. do you filter your water? got fish? hyacinths?
Are your water lilies new or old ones? Maybe it has something to do with your method of planting or maintaining. I had one pond where the lilies moved out of the pot and over 10 years moved across the bottom of the pond. It wasn't a filtered pond.
but to answer your question--Van Ness gardens in Upland, ca would have resistant lilies.

Marge727,
I just bought and planted a Soiux water lily one week ago. The lily was planted in a potting soil mixture. The leaves were all green and healthy. Within a week some leaves started turning yellow, then brown. The concrete pond is filtered (in-pond mechanical and bio) and was just brought back into service this year after 7 years empty. The rough dimensions are 6'x8', ~20" deep max, also with a low flow water fall. The pH and all the chemical vitals are fine. I've got half-dozen small goldfish and a few bullfrog tadpoles. Also have 3 marginal plants doing fine.

The lily gets at least 8 hours sun. I've just ordered some fertilizer tabs and will add 2 or 3 to the lily pot.
What kind of water lilies do you grow?

LB

If you have root rot it's best to throw the plant away as will spread to other water lilies in the pond. Your leaves may have turned yellow/brown from change in water chemistry or water temps.

It is normal for leaves to die off after several weeks, turning yellow and then brown. They are replaced by new ones. You should pinch off the leaves when they begin to turn yellow so the plant can put its energy into making the new leaves. If you remove the leaves promptly, you are lots less likely to get a fungus. Are you sure it's root rot or fungus?

I have been growing waterlilies for about thirty years and found that the best potting medium is regular garden soil. I find that potting soil mix is to acid for the lilies. Also when you start with tubers you don't want to fertilize until the plants are established.

Thanks for the replies. No, I'm not sure if it's root rot or fungus. I read in a book that dying leaves are a symptom. I don't want to waste my time on a diseased plant, but I'll just wait a while and see how the plant progresses. I guess I didn't realize that there is a several week life cycle for the leaves. Maybe what I'm seeing is natural leaf loss. I'll also wait a few weeks to fertilize and check the pH of the potting soil.

Hello fellow ponder and Long Beachin....Where did you buy your lilly at? Home Depot and Lowes lilly's weren't very healthy this year....I found better ones at Walmart (this was in early April).

Fairlady,
I bought my water lily on e-bay at Hardy Water Lily of Oregon for about $16.00 incl shipping. I didn't know that Walmart has them. My Home Depot doesn't have water plants. The only place that I looked and found them was at Armstrong Garden Center where they wanted $39.99 per plant.
The shipped plant arrived in good shape. It's putting out a couple of new leaves and a flower has bloomed already. If it doesn't work out, maybe I'll try Walmart. However, if the plant does adjust and thrive, $16.00 was a good deal. I don't want to judge the grower, I think she gave me a good plant.

The Home Depot on Spring and Atlantic had them...not sure if they still do...but the ones I saw looked sick. H&H Nursery in Lakewood also carries water garden and bog plants and their prices are pretty fair. Armstrong has great plants but their prices are just to high!

Hello. I have a pond that we put in last summer. I have one water lily that made it through the winter, and now has 4 pads. My question is: when will I see a bloom? It hasn't gotten any flowers yet. I wonder if it needs to be deeper underwater, right now it is on one of the shelves in the pond, to keep the koi from eating it. (they destroyed one of the other plants, shredded it to bits!) Thanks for any help