Tropical Water Lilies with Flare

August 29, 2009 by Rick

In Florida we are so fortunate to be able to grow Tropical Water Lilies. Hardy Water Lilies are the most common types sold throughout the U.S. but they do not perform as well in Florida as the tropical types. Some tropical water lilies like this all time favorite 'Red Flare' are night bloomers which means they open in the twilight hours for your evening garden stroll and then close by 11 AM unless it is cloudy. Then they stay open all day. The foliage is dark burgundy. 

The Iphone has an APP called Color Splash that transforms pictures by converting them to grayscale then coloring in areas you touch with your finger. This is easy and helps accentuate the stories told with images and it is fun too. Ponds add interest and sound from fountains. You can add destinations and focal points in any garden with a simple water feature.

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Categories: ColorSplash | Design
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Comments (3) -

February 12. 2009 16:18

Oh Rick, I love my hardy lilies! They're the only water plants that have hung in with me. Everything else went kapoot. (I have noticed dwarf Mexican petunia migrates to the water, which is interesting.)

Penny Carnathan

February 15. 2009 04:34

Penny, over the year all my hardy types have just disappeared but maybe I let them go away as I am so taken by the tropical types. Do your hardy types go dormant for a long time? Have you ever been to Slocum's Waterlilies in Winter haven? It has been years since I have been there but the displays sold me. I also visited there waterlily farm in Franklin NC but they bred and sold mostly hardy types and Lotus there.
Mexican Petunia grows in and UNDER the water too. If you go to Petsmart you see they sell it as an aquarium plant. Oddly enough they sell Sansevaria as an underwater plant too. It is the same plant used to make the Lucky Bamboo TM creations that are so popular as gifts.

rick

February 23. 2009 01:59

My hardy lilies do go dormant through the winter, but they live! (That's really all I ask of my plants.) I used to fertilize every month, but they don't seem to need that any more. They're blooming now -- no fertilizer in months.
   I haven't been to Slocum's (thanks for the tip). I don't find much in the way of water plants locally. I'm excited to try Albert Greenberg so thanks much for that post.
   I guess Mexican petunia is the roach of the plant world. Who knew?

Penny Carnathan