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Tropical lilies

mort

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Joined
15 Nov 2015
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2,384
Hi, was after opinions on tropical lilies and if they have a winter dormancy. I'm really after the big boys and not the normal bulbs we find in the shops. The reason I ask is I went to see an old friend whose tank I used to do the maintanance for and he has gone from salt to freshwater. The tank is more of a pond really, a bit like Freds pond but in his house (think it measures 11x5x5ft with a 9x2.5" viewing panel which I do remember as it was very heavy). He has put in a skylight the same size as the tanks foot print for lighting and the only supplemental lighting he is planning are 3 point source leds like kessils just to give a hint of sun in the darker months.
So that leads me to the question as the plan is for a slight blackwater feel with some floating plants but maybe a few show lilies if it's possible. I suggested using some native lillies in pots and moving them out or simply rotating them every year, simply because I don't think they will have enough light in the winter months.
 
Nobody actualy knows where the lily originated.. Historians around the world assume South East Asia, because earliest script references are from this region. Few 1000 BC.. Thus most likely the lily originated from the tropics and men distributed it already for 1000nds of years around the world. :) <Ancient Silk road trade.>

No lily needs dormancy, if kept in tropical conditions under sufficient light they are all evergreen.. :)
 
I have 2 lilies seperate cultivar sp. at least that i think.. In an aqaurium much smaller but simmular as you describe.. Th etank stand under a skylight and recieves only natural dayligh during spring summer and part of the fall.

Both lilies actualy react differently to the light conditions.. But in general if conditions are +/- minus sub tropical (mediteranian type) regarding temp conditions. Than the Lilies switch from emersed form floating leaves to submersed form leaves. Thus if light is moderate but temp stays around 20°C it only switches between both grow forms instead of going dormant completely

Floating leaves slowly die off during the fall when days get shorter and submersed form leaves appear. Visa versa early spring submersed leaves slowly die after the first floater reached its goal.And it grows only floaters.

I notice a distinct difference between the 2 species, one is at least 2 months earlier than the other with growing out floaters.

I can not ellaborate on light intensity during the winter with the help of daylight and in my case maybe 1500 lumen help of artificial light in comparance of what you describe. But a hunch say one kessil on the lily in your case might just do the job perfectly.

Next thing i can not elaborate about is what lily (Cutlivar) you should choose in regard with the enormous collection of lilies in the trade. Since the 2 that i'm growing react very differently to same conditions. I suspect there will not be much differnces in other N. Sp. But i don't realy know i havent tryed them all.

This story is about Nymphaea Burgundy princess and the N. Rosaea Bonsai.

Both are cultivars, yet i have no clue where the Burgundy princess derived from.. From the Rosaea bonsai i picked up it is a small african var. and i suspect it to be a N. Nouchali.
 
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Thanks for your thoughts Marcel i'll do a little more reading before I advise him. The problem I think he has is the 5ft depth and the fact he want slightly stained water. We have a native species here commonly called brandy bottle Nuphar luteum, which is vigorous and survives in our murky rivers. It also has an abundance of submerged leaves. I know someone with a massive pond that offered me it last year so it might be worth a try rather than to invest in something tropical. I'm only advising at this point and he's a really shy character that doesn't use the forums. At this point i'm also not sure what his plans are for fish and whether herbivores will be on the cards. His initial thoughts were a massive school of cardinals, angels and cories but i'm not sure how much he will see of such a small tetra given the depth. When it was marine he had a dozen volitan lionfish which looked great until I had to fix the closed loop. Lionfish are fine if they have a little fear but 12, foot long lions curiously investigating you in your speedos, isn't for the faint hearted.
 
Here is some nice reading :) that explains things about different types.
https://www.iamshaman.com/lotus/cultivation.htm

The family is devided in the type of rhizome it grows from. Tropical lily sp. all grow from the Mexicana Rhizome are more diffficult and need at least 21°C water temp to survive. That conserns a well matured and established specimen, some need a even higher temperatur to thrive and get to that hardy.. Only few with this rhizome are winterhardy, i don't know which one.

The most common rhizome in cultivation and in the trade is the Marliac, i thinck this is because it is the most manageable compact growing rhizome. The others have the tendency to vigorouzly spread horizontaly. There are so many Marliac types out there cultivated and hybidized all over the world.. I have no idea how many excactly, maybe nobody knows but i know a Nymphaea nursery listing over 65 different marliac type water lilies in their collection for sale. :) Most have unknow originen and many are hybrids from hybrids.. Thus it is one enormous pile of Fantasy names
 
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