This is probably a long shot, but does anyone have any water lily seeds they could share. I realize they won't grow true, but I'd be happy with whatever grew.

You don't really want water lilies that produce fertile seeds as this version of water lily will spread very fast and grow to depths of 8ft or more. This version of lily also produces rhizome buds that continually break loose, float to shore and start new plants all over the place. If control of water lilies are a concern then you want Hardy hybrid water lilies that do not produce viable seeds which is beneficial to help keep them from taking over a pond unless that is your goal - pond takeover by lily pads.

Bill,

Thank you so much! Once again, you've kept me from making a huge mistake.

These hybrids, do they come back after winter? Or you have to plant new ones each years?

Hey Carl,

The hybrids come back every year....I have three different colors and really like them. Be aware, they will spread a little more every year.

Bill D.

They will spread even if you put them in containers?

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I planted mine in the pond bottom. I was wanting them to spread to provide habitat. A lot of folks grow them first in containers and them separate them and plant them in the pond bottom where they want them.

No worries... I taught everyone was leaving them in containers to avoid spreading as I understood they are quite invasive!

EDIT: I suspect if you leave them in the containers, they will behave themselves and stay small for a year or three at least. I've never tried it. My thought is, if left in the container, they will get root bound eventually or send roots over the top of the container to the pond bottom and spread from there.

Maybe Bill C will see this post and chime in. He is the expert on lilies.

Spread and size of hardy hybrid water lilies is similar to spread & size of trees. Some spread quickly; some stay small and some grow large. Know what size you are buying. Hardy hybrid lilies come in 4 sizes and associated water depth of growth. Dwarf, small, medium, and large. If you want slow spread and for them to stay shallow (2-3ft) buy dwarf and small rated varieties. Flowers are smaller on the smaller varieties. I prefer the small and medium spread lilies for average recreational - sportfish ponds. Large rated lilies do best in larger ponds and small lakes where there is lots of room to spread in the shallow areas.

Wild water lilies will easily over grow and escape the container. Their seeds and rhizome 'buds' will float around and easily grow in other places.

Note there are species of tropical water lilies that do not tolerate ponds that get ice cover.

Quick question, do grass carp eat hybrid water lilies?

Grass carp when 24+" can damage and eliminate a lot of water lilies. The GC do not necessarily eat the lilies but they trim off the pads eventually killing the lilies. The GC do not generally bother the lilies until all the other plants are consumed or there is a lack of other submerged plants.

Bill, does Andrew Davis sell hardy lilies? Or just have a huge picture library of them?