How to Propagate Water Lily by Seed

With their round pads and "splashy" flowers,

water lilies (Nymphaea spp.) make desirable
denizens for any water garden, from half-
barrel to shallow pond. They vary widely in
cold tolerance, however, with most tropical
hybrids being perennial only in U.S.
Department of Agriculture plant hardiness
zones 10 and 11. Hardy water lilies, on the
other hand, can be grown as far north as
USDA zone 3. They often flower all summer,
floating comfortably on a pond's surface.
Tropical types generally wait until mid to late
summer to perform, and hold their blooms
fastidiously above the water.

Related Articles

 1 How Water Lilies Make Seeds

 2 Start Lily Pads in Your Pond
 3 Difference in the Water Lily & the Lotus
 4 Take Care of Hardy Water Lilies

Position a garden stake beside a fading water lily from which you wish to gather seeds, and stab the
base of that stake into the soil at the bottom of the water garden. Cover the water lily's flower with a
piece of cheesecloth or muslin, tying that "bag" shut beneath the bloom with plastic garden tape. Tie
the bag to the stake.

Detach the bag from the stake in autumn, after the flower's seed pod has burst open. Shake the seeds
out into a small bucket of water. Wait several days before you skim off and discard any seeds that are
still floating.

Retrieve the seeds that have sunk to the bottom of the bucket, since they should be the viable ones.
Plant hardy water lily seeds immediately while they are still damp. You can do the same with the seeds
of tropical types, or dry and refrigerate them for later.

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Fill a dishpan that is at least 6 inches deep with 3 inches of heavy garden soil. Pat down the soil and pour
water slowly into the pan until the soil is covered with 2 inches of water. Scatter the seeds over the
surface of the water, so that they sink onto the top of the soil. Sprinkle white sand into the water, until it
settles to cover the seeds in a layer 1/8 inch thick.

Place the pan in a warm, bright place, such as a greenhouse or south-facing window. Watch for thready
leaves to appear on the surface of the sand within three to seven weeks.

Transplant the seedlings once their leaves begin to float on the water's surface. Fill 2-inch-diameter
seedling pots with heavy garden soil mixed with a little composted manure. Add a layer of sand to the
top of each pot's soil and plunge the pots into a container of water -- such as a small bucket -- where
their soil surface will be 2 to 3 inches below the surface of the water.

Move the water lily seedlings, as they grow, to larger pots submerged more deeply. Place them in a pool
or other water garden when they have three leaves that are each at least 3 inches across.

Things You Will Need

 Garden stake
 Cheesecloth or muslin
 Plastic garden tape
 Small bucket
 Dishpan at least 6 inches deep
 Heavy garden soil
 White sand
 Composted manure
 2-inch-diameter seedling pots

Tip

 You can store the tubers of tropical water lilies in damp sand indoors over the winter, if
necessary.

Warning

 Victoria water lilies are a different species and much too large for most home water gardens,
with pads up to 6 feet across. They also require a high temperature -- of at least 90 degrees
Fahrenheit -- to germinate.

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