Water Plant Propagation

Once established, most aquatic plants become ridiculously easy to divide and propage. One common trait is very starchy root systems that form thick tubers, rhizomes, stolons, or bulbs that can retain moisture during dry periods, then spring back to life quickly when a wet and/or warm season returns.

Hardy Waterlily Propagation

Once established, new growth points along readily branching, rooted tubers are easy to cleanly slice and divide with a sharp razor/knife and ready to plant with their growth points exposed just above the soil line. Hardy water lilies are best planted with their butt at the OUTER EDGE of the pot pointing inwards. Annual dividing and complete repotting isn't recommended though. Undisturbed, older hardy plants bloom more reliably and freely.

Tropical Waterlily Propagation

Tropical waterlilies are a very different beast, planted upright in the center of the pot. They may sprout new growing points on the side of the tuber, but they're more likely to develop new, small tubers right beside the parent plant. Many water gardener's treat tropicals like annuals and order new greenhouse grown tubers fresh each spring rather than trying or waiting to revive them from winter dormancy.

Propagating Night Blooming Waterlily Tubers

Tropical night bloomers spontaneously form new tubers along their roots throughout your planting pot. When replanting in the fall or early spring - feel through the muck - You'll likley find multiple, marble to golf ball size tubers all throughout the planting soil.

Viviparous Lilypad Waterlilies

Select tropical waterlily cultivars are viviparous: Small waterlily plants will readily sprout from the center of mature lily pads and can be raised in a separate nursery tub until rooted and mature enough to bloom. I deliberately order tropical cultivars known to be viviparous - Because Hey, FREE PLANTS! Check out the Waterlily Bear's Water Gardening Blog for blog posts detailing viviparity and listing named tropical water lily varieties known for their viviparousness.

Growing Waterlilies From Seed

Some hardy and tropical varieties open-pollinate and produce viable seed freeley in natural environments. However, in the backyard pond and especially container water garden, we're most likely to pinch off spent flowers to encourage new blooms. Optimal greenouse conditions are ideally needed to grow waterlilies from seed to blossom in a single season. But can try growing these tropical Blue Star nymphaea.nouchali waterlily seeds^#Ad sprouting them indoors on a warm sunny windowsill.

Lotus Tuber Propagation

Once established, lotus roots grow like crazy and healthy root segments with growing points are easy to separate. Be very careful with the growing points, they're very brittle and can break easily! Lotus root segments grow like a link of sausages. New growth segments advance forward and bloom while older roots die off. Prune off soft, dead root segments and replant only the healthy new shoots at the end of the growth chain.

Floating Plant Propagation

Most floating fresh water plants grow very prolifically to the point of being practically invasive. Nearly all readily send side-shoots with children off the parent plant. Frogbit, Sylvania, Water Lettuce and Water Hyacinths typically are the sort of thing you can purchase once and will likely never have to buy again! With proper control and management you'll end up tossing and composting the extra floater plants that you don't need.

Bog Plant Propagation Tips

Like hardy waterlilies, Most marginal and shallow water bog plants have starchy rizhomes or tubers and tough roots to sustain them through dry seasons. Divide whenever you need to with very sharp pruners or knives, separating parts of the roots that have new side-shoots emerging.

Propagating Pond Plants