How to Winterize Hardy Water Lilies

Hardy lilies go dormant in winter.

Water lilies come in two varieties -- tropical and hardy. While the tropical lilies cannot withstand cold winter temperatures, with proper care hardy lilies can survive outdoors all winter long. These lilies grow from a root section called a rhizome. When the lily goes dormant in fall, the rhizome stores the nutrients the plant needs to begin new growth once temperatures warm in spring. Keeping the rhizome alive over the winter months ensures the water lily plant survives the cold to provide color to the pond again the following summer.

Things You'll Need

• Shears
• Bucket

Instructions

1. Cut back the water lily once the foliage begins to die back in late fall. Leave a 2-inch stem on each plant.

2. Move the pot to the deepest section of the pond so the water level is at least 12 inches above the rim of the pot. Choose an area of the pond that doesn't freeze completely in winter.

3. Place the pot in a large bucket of water and move the bucket into a cool, 40-degree- Fahrenheit room indoors if your pond freezes solid in winter. The top of the lily pot must be covered by at least 2 inches of water in the bucket.

4. Move the lily back to its normal home in the pond once water temperatures reach 55 degrees Fahrenheit in spring. New growth will resume.

Tips & Warnings

• Hardy lilies must be allowed to go through winter dormancy. Do not store them in warm locations that prevent the dormant period.

References

• Colorado State Extension: Water Gardening: Winterizing Hardy Lilies
• Virginia Cooperative Extension: Urban Water-Quality Management - Winterizing the Water Garden