Painted Lady Hardy Water Lily

Painted Lady Hardy Water Lily — Pink-and-White Stripes, Artistically Mottled Pads

The Painted Lady Hardy Water Lily is a medium hardy water lily with eye-catching pink-and-white striped blooms (≈4–6") that look hand-painted on the water. Striking mottled pads (red/cream/green) frame every flower, so the plant shows color even when blossoms close. A reliable perennial pond plant, Painted Lady blooms from late spring into fall and makes a vivid focal point in any water garden.

Why Customers Love It

• Unique, striped petals—each bloom is slightly different

• Mottled pads add color texture all season

• Steady bloomer in full sun with simple tablet feeding

• Versatile for lined ponds, earth-bottom shelves, and wide containers

Plant Requirements (quick reference)

• Sun: Full sun, 6+ hours of strong midday light

• Container: 14–16"+ wide, shallow aquatic container (fabric pots preferred)

• Depth (soil surface → water surface): 6–18" (shallower = more flowers)

• Spread: ~3–5 ft at maturity (medium habit)

• Soil: Heavy loam topsoil only (no bagged mix, peat, “aquatic media,” or gravel)

Care & Fertilizing (simple schedule)

• Fertilizer tablets: 4–6 tablets on the 1st & 15th each month (May–September)

• Application: Press tablets 3–4" into the soil around (not on) the crown

• Maintenance: Trim spent blooms/yellow leaves; divide every 1–2 years to maintain peak flowering

Water Lily Planting Tips

• Plant shallower (8–12") to warm the crown and ramp up buds

• Keep surface water open and unshaded—pads are your “solar panels” for flowers

• Never cover the crown with stones or gravel; leave it slightly exposed

• Choose wide, shallow containers to encourage rhizome run and higher bloom counts

• Place away from splashing/aeration; still water showcases stripes and pad mottling

Do’s & Don’ts

Do

• Plant in full sun and heavy loam

• Fertilize twice monthly on schedule for continuous blooms

• Repot immediately on arrival; keep all parts wet while planting

Don’t

• ❌ Don’t use compost/peat mixes, “aquatic media,” or gravel (they float, rot, or smother crowns)

• ❌ Don’t let floating plants shade Painted Lady—light drives flowering

• ❌ Don’t plant too deep (>18") if you want frequent blooms

Helpful Links

• Full Planting Instructions →

• Waterlily World® Fertilizer Tablets →

• PondGro™ Aquatic Loam Soil →

• Aquatic Containers →

• PondGro™ Fabric Pots →

Shipped as: a live young adult plant (rhizome with leaves/lilypads). Plant immediately in heavy loam soil at the recommended depth. Minor transit yellowing is normal and quickly replaced by new growth.