Water lily: description and types, where it grows and how it looks, planting instructions
Many summer residents are interested in the description and types of water lilies, where this flower grows and what it looks like. This is a very non-standard plant that grows in different conditions - from the equator to harsh temperate latitudes. It is a perennial aquatic culture, the name of which in Latin sounds like a nymphaeum. The Kuvshinkov family includes approximately 50 varieties. However, they all differ in shapes and colors.
Description of the plant
Water lilies differ in color and size. At the same time, they are united by the way they grow. All these crops grow in water, or more precisely, in the bottom substrate. This flower lives in ponds, lakes, oxbow lakes.
Wild representatives of this family have been domesticated for quite some time. They are often found in ornamental ponds and even in aquariums. Natural water lily ponds look very attractive.
Nymphaeums give the landscape a special charm and help create a special microclimate. Most often, the plant has a white color. However, sometimes there are other varieties with cream, pink, purple, blue and purple petals.
The plant is characterized by long pointed petals with a spiral arrangement. In the lower part, they smoothly turn into stamens. The stipules are green in color. Their number is 3-5 pieces. The calyx is rounded and includes one yellow pistil.
Many types of water lilies are distinguished by round or heart-shaped leaves that have a waxy surface and a triangular cut. They are attached to long stems from 0.3 to 5 meters long.Most often, the diameter of an adult leaf is 20-30 centimeters. At the same time, its upper part has a dark green color, and the lower part is red-violet.
How and when the water lily blooms
The flowering of some water lilies comes quite early - already in May-June. At the same time, many varieties remain attractive until the first frost. The water lily flower resembles a lily in appearance. Moreover, its diameter is 5-20 centimeters. The shade of the petals can be different - white, red, purple. There are also cream, lilac and pink varieties. In the central part, carpels are clearly expressed, which form a pistil with a stigma.
On the sepals are petals invisible to the eye. They form a cup of a rounded or quadrangular shape. The number of sepals can be 3-5 pieces. After sunset, the petals of the water lily close and fall under the water.At dawn they bloom again. The life span of one flower is 3-4 days. However, due to the abundance of buds on the stem, flowering is quickly renewed. Water lily flowers have a pleasant fragrance. At the same time, its intensity differs depending on the variety of the plant.
Popular species
There are many types and varieties of nymphs that bloom in ponds and lakes. There are also river water lilies that live in water bodies with a weak current. About 50 species of such plants with small and large flowers are known. They can be of different shades - red, yellow, white and many others.
White
This plant has a wide range of habitats. It is found in ponds, river backwaters, lakes and canals. Most of the culture is under water. At the same time, leaves and white buds are located on the surface. If you carefully consider the plant, you can see the finest halftones in its color scheme.The shades of such a water lily can vary from milky to light yellow or pinkish tones.
White water lily has rounded leaves with a leathery structure. They have excellent buoyancy and are able to withstand considerable weight. For example, mature plants are ways to keep a frog or a small bird.
One of the types of white water lily is the yellow water lily. It is characterized by smaller, elongated oval-shaped leaves and small flowers.
Snow White
This is a perennial upright plant that has floating rounded leaves 12-30 centimeters in size. The culture is distinguished by white flowers, the diameter of which is 6-8 centimeters.
The snow-white water lily is characterized by ovate-oblong sepals. They may be blunt or pointed. This plant has 15-18 white petals. They differ in ovoid or elliptical shape.
Tetrahedral
This variety is also called small. The main difference of this culture is considered to be more modest size. Its diameter does not exceed 3-8 centimeters. At the same time, the sepals have a quadrangular shape.
The petals are usually white, but sometimes there are pink flowers. The culture is growing in the northeast of Russia and the Far East. Also, a tetrahedral water lily is found in Japan, China, and Mongolia. There is also in North America.
Star-shaped
This plant has very decorative flowering. It is also often referred to as the star lotus. The petals of the culture can be purple with a red border, fuchsia, lilac. There are also pure white flowers.
The first star-shaped water lilies appeared in India, after which they spread to various Asian countries. Also, these plants were brought to Australia and adapted in the north of this country. At the same time, culture does not grow in temperate latitudes.
Egyptian
In terms of flowers, this culture looks like a white water lily. It comes from North Africa. It was this flower that often decorated the tombs of the pharaohs. Currently, this water lily is found in Asian and American waters.
Planting instructions
Water lily is quite acceptable to grow at home. For proper planting, it is recommended to adhere to a special technology. For this, it is worth using poor soil without compost so that the water in the pond is clean for as long as possible.
When planting a plant, it is recommended to follow the following rules:
- When planting a water lily in a pot, it is recommended to make a small depression in the ground 1-2 centimeters in size. It is required to place a plant tuber there.
- It is desirable to place a fertilizer granule nearby, which has a prolonged effect. This will provide a long-term supply of nutrients that the plant needs for normal development. This will help to get a beautiful and he althy flower.
- After performing these steps, it is worth covering the tuber with soil and strengthening its surface with fine gravel.
After this, it is recommended to place the water lily planter in an aquarium or pond. This can be done in the foreground or background - it all depends on the design that is used to design the reservoir. It is recommended to place the plant in the central part. Due to this, it will be able to develop in different directions.
Caring for a plant depends on its variety. Tropical varieties need a constant temperature of + 20-26 degrees. +20 degrees is enough for hardy plants. In addition, when growing a crop, the following should be considered:
- For tropical and subtropical varieties, it is important to provide lighting up to 10-12 hours a day. It is best to use LED lamps for this, which are distinguished by a cold white spectrum.
- If you plan to grow a water lily in an aquarium, its capacity should be at least 50 liters.
- Nutrients should be added at intervals of 2 months. This will improve the development of the flower and strengthen its immunity.
- Carbon dioxide must be supplied to an aquarium or pond. Without this, culture cannot develop.
- It is systematically worth cleaning the bottom space and removing dying leaves. This must be done with a sharp pruner or knife.
The water lily is a spectacular ornamental plant that is often used to decorate artificial reservoirs. To grow a crop successfully, it is important to strictly follow the rules of agricultural technology.
