Water Lily….friend or foe??

Water Lilies

Yellow Water Lily ( Mexican Water Lily)

American White Water Lily

Physical Characteristics of the water lily: 

A large oval shaped fleshy leaf, that is green on the top of the leaf and reddish purple on the bottom of the leaf. The leaves are very large, up to 10” in size. The water lily is an emergent aquatic flowering plant, known as a decorative aquatic plant. It floats on top of the water but has a stem that is rooted at the bottom of the pond or lake. The flowers are big and can be white, yellow and pink.

Elegant Water Lily

Where Does it Grow?

Water lily can be found in ponds, lakes, calm streams in undisturbed waters.

Water Lily….friend or foe??

Well deer, beaver, muskrats and other rodents like the water lily. They will consume the leaves. Pond gardeners purchase water lilies for their small outdoor ponds, and is much easier to manage in a small pond. Water lilies are very pretty and as long as it is kept under control, shouldn’t be a problem.

But water lilies are invasive once they get established. The can be cut down or pulled out but can regrow for the seeds and rhizomes left behind.

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Natural Management Options:

Using the Beachroller Weed Eliminator will remove the plant at the roots. It cuts and pulls the stems out of the pond bottom.

The Weed Razer is another great and also inexpensive tool for cutting plants at the roots. Then use the Weed Rake to remove it.

Keep that water moving…..a pond fountain or pond aerator is the best way to keep this aquatic plant under control.