The water lily is an aquatic perennial, usually hardy, prized for its beautiful, large flowers and the natural look its floating leaves give to ponds. After a few years, it's time to divide the mother plant to give it a lighter appearance, stimulate flowering, and replace the pot damaged by its powerful roots. Discover our tips for successfully propagating your water lily.
Why divide a water lily?
Placed in good conditions, the water lily is a vigorous perennial plant and can grow to significant proportions. Over time, the foliage covers too much of the water's surface, creating an imbalance. Moreover, water lilies tend to flower less as they age. The less space they have in their underwater basket, the fewer flowers they produce. Division helps rejuvenate them.
To learn more, check out our complete guide: Nymphea, water lily: planting and care.
When to divide a water lily?
Water lilies are often divided when they cover more than 30% of the pond's surface. Generally, division is done every 3 to 4 years:
- in early spring (before flowering);
- or in autumn.
Avoid dividing a water lily during its peak growing season to prevent weakening it.
When leaves overlap on the water's surface, division is necessary!
How to divide a water lily?
Required materials
Gather:
- A pair of waders or boots
- A sharp knife, possibly secateurs
- A pair of water-repellent gloves
- Special aquatic plant compost
- Gravel, stones, pumice, or slate tiles
- A large aquatic plant basket
The division process
- Start by removing the water lily from the water. This can be tricky due to the weight and may require assistance;
- Trim dead or rotting parts of the plant (leaves, stems, etc.). These are often brown in colour;
- If your water lily is in a mesh basket, cut any roots protruding through the holes to extract the plant with its root ball. You may need to cut the basket if it's deformed by root pressure, especially if division hasn't been done in years. In this case, use secateurs;
- Once freed from its container, rinse with water to expose the rhizome.
- Using a knife, cut secondary rhizomes into sections at least 10 cm long. Each piece should include a terminal bud (where new leaves will emerge) and well-developed roots. Make clean cuts with a knife or Japanese saw;
- You should now have several divisions ready for replanting.
Dividing a water lily before planting in a basket
How to transplant a water lily?
- Prepare a new basket. I recommend using a large basket from the start, ideally with a minimum volume of 10–15 litres, as water lily rhizomes grow quickly!
- Fill it with aquatic plant compost (clay garden soil also works).
- Plant your division at an angle, ensuring buds and new leaf shoots are not buried (only one division per basket!);
- Top the basket with mulch (slate, gravel, or pumice) to prevent fish from disturbing the plant and muddying the water. This also helps stabilise the plant before it establishes;
- Gently submerge the basket containing the new water lily until no more bubbles rise. Choose a sunny, calm spot (full sun for abundant flowering) at the appropriate depth: 40–50 cm for dwarf varieties, up to 1 metre for larger types.
Water lilies are hungry perennials—you can add organic aquatic plant fertiliser tablets or pellets to the substrate.
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