Spread and Height for a Blink Water Lily

Plant Size

• Nurseries that sell Blink often ambiguously refer to it as a "medium-sized" waterlily. If given sufficiently warm water -- over 75 degrees Fahrenheit -- and a fertile soil in full sun, the plant produces lots of round, green leaves. Each leaf pad may measure up to 10 inches in diameter. Collectively, the plant may spread between 3 and 10 feet wide in a circular floating mass atop the pond surface.

Growth Considerations

• The volume and quality of the soil can limit Blink waterlily's ultimate spread. Shady garden conditions and cool water also slow the rate of leaf production and ultimate plant size. If the waterlily's rhizome is planted in the muck on the pond bottom, Blink may readily attain a width of 8 to 12 feet. However, planting the rhizome in a container, such as 3 to 10 gallons in soil volume, limits the potential size of the plant. In a container, expect this medium-sized waterlily to become 3 to 8 feet wide in the water garden. The larger the container, the larger the diameter of the plant by the end of summer's growing season.

Flowering

• Blink waterlily is not a tall plant, as its leaf pads float atop the water surface. Only if the leaves become crowded might some pads fold or curl upward from the water. Expect this waterlily to be no taller than 1 inch. Only when the flowers appear will Blink waterlily grow as tall as 8 to 10 inches. The flowers are held well above the leaves and water surface, providing the only vertical aspect to this tropical plant. Each blossom may measure 7 inches in diameter. After the flower wanes, the stalk sinks back into the water.

Growing Insight

• A dense, clay or loam soil rich in mucky organic matter promotes better growth of leaves and flowers in day-blooming tropical waterlilies. Water temperatures in the 80 to 90 degree range also make Blink become a lusher, more productive aquatic plant. Synthetic fertilizer tablets may be inserted into the soil in containers to bolster soil fertility in the summer. Fertilizers with a formulation such as 10-15-10 or 10-30-10 help increase flower production.