No pond is complete without a water lily. It is one of the most popular and eye-catching water plants because of its beautiful appearance. Water lilies come in many shapes, sizes and colors such as: pink, soft yellow, white or dark red. Curious about the water lily? Then read on quickly!

Check out our top 10 hardy water lilies for the pond ->

All about water lilies

• What kind of aquatic plant is the water lily?
• What is the function of a water lily?
• What types of water lilies exist?
• A water lily for every pond size
• Mini water lily for patio pond
• How and when to plant a water lily?
• How do you care for a water lily?
• How often does a water lily bloom?

What kind of aquatic plant is the water lily?

A water lily is a type of aquatic plant belonging to the family Nymphaeaceae. It is a perennial plant that grows in shallow, stagnant water and roots in the bottom of the pond or lake. The leaves of the water lily float on the surface of the water and are often large and round in shape. The flowers of the water lily are large and colorful and are carried by long stems that grow from the leaves. Water lilies are often grown as decorative plants in all kinds of ponds and water features.

What is the function of a water lily?

Besides the graceful look that a water lily gives to your pond, it is also a very useful aquatic plant. The water lily leaf covers the surface of the water, thus blocking the sun and thus the heat. As a result, the water heats up less quickly, which ensures that there will be less algae growth. Water lilies also remove nutrients from the water, reducing the chance of water algae growth. Moreover, the leaves are useful for pond animals, because insects such as bees, dragonflies and damselflies find a place to drink water there, and frogs like to warm up in the sun on such a large water lily leaf. Under water, the leaves provide a fine hiding place for pond fish, for example, should danger threaten from outside the pond.

What types of water lilies exist?

There are more than 50 different species of water lilies, divided into different genera such as Nymphaea, Victoria and Euryale. These species vary in color, size and flowering time. The water lilies we: Water Plant Nursery van der Velde Waterplants sell are the large water lily and the dwarf water lily. These waterlilies we sell in different colors and numbers, you can even buy a complete waterlily field from us, then your pond is filled in one fell swoop!

A water lily for every pond size

Ponds come in many shapes and sizes. Some have a mini pond, others a huge natural pond. Fortunately, there are many water lilies so there is a suitable one for every pond. Choosing the right water lily is actually quite simple. We look at the number of liters of water in the pond. If you have a large pond of more than 1000 liters of water, then it is best to go for a large water lily. Pond specialist Simon recommends placing large water lilies at a minimum of -20 cm and a maximum of -100 cm deep. Place at least one water lily per 500 to 3,000 liters of water for proper function and beautiful appearance. Of the large water lilies, the white and red water lilies are the strongest. These will also generally grow faster.

Mini water lily for patio pond

Do you have a very small pond of less than 1,000 gallons of water? Then choose a dwarf water lily. Very small ponds are also called mini ponds or patio ponds. A mini water lily is literally small in size and therefore gets less long petioles and flowers. You therefore plant them less deeply underwater than the large water lily. You place a dwarf water lily at a minimum of -20 cm and a maximum of -40 cm deep. We have several colors in our assortment.

How and when to plant a water lily?

Water lilies are offered as rhizomes, from which leaf stalks and roots grow, and it is important to place them in a flat pond basket so that the roots have enough room to grow. Our range of water lilies are supplied as mature water lily rhizomes, which have been raised in our nursery and hibernated for stronger and healthier growth. Each water lily comes with a professional pond basket, special pond plant clay, aquatic plant food, cover gravel and detailed planting instructions. Water lilies can be planted year-round, but it is recommended to do so in May or June for optimal growth in the summer. Our water lilies are hardy and come with a one hundred percent growth and bloom guarantee. Choose an eye-catcher or add color to your large pond with one of our water lilies!

How do you care for a water lily?

Water lilies for deep and shallow ponds bring many leaves with them. The floating leaves form a beautiful green deck over the pond and provide shade and shelter for fish. By keeping a close eye on the leaves, you keep track of the plant's condition. You'll also know when it's time to prune water lilies and mini water lilies. Does your mini water lily or white water lily have rotting leaves or are they gnawed on? Then it's time to start pruning them to keep the pond clean and the lilies healthy. Because the lily beetle visits your water lilies, you will have larvae under the leaves in addition to gnawed leaves. When these hatch, there are other insects that will attack the leaves. You can recognize this by holes in the leaves and brown, dead leaves. Remove the water lily leaf by cutting off the stem about -20 cm below the water surface. Pruning water lilies is important to properly maintain the pond and can be done before the winter season begins. By cutting off leaves instead of pulling them loose, you prevent roots from getting a rotting spot that can kill them. Pruning is done at so when rotting leaves are visible, or when leaves have been eaten away by snails and insects.

How often does a water lily bloom?

Water lilies are placed in the pond in the spring, the plants then take about 2 weeks to a month to bloom. The aquatic plant blooms from about May through September and will then produce a beautiful, colorful flower that you can enjoy throughout the season. Most conducive to the lily's growth is a sunny spot where the plant gets about 5 hours of sunlight a day, but it will bloom even without that much sunlight! Aquatic animals such as frogs or toads often use the water lily for shelter, this makes the lily extra fun to watch.

Frequently asked questions about water lilies