How to Care for Viviparous Tropical Waterlilies

Plant the viviparous tropical waterlily in a container 12 to 18 inches wide and 6 to 10 inches deep. Fill the container halfway with a heavy loam garden soil, and push three or four aquatic plant fertilizer tablets into the soil to a depth of 1 inch. Add more soil to the container, filling it to within 2 inches of the top. Plant the tropical waterlily tuber upright in the container, with its tip just peeking out from the surface of the soil.

Top the surface of the soil with 2 inches of pea gravel. Keep the gravel at least 3/4 inch away from the tip of the tuber, so it won't impede the waterlily's growth.

Submerge the container in your pond or water garden, so the tip of the tuber is covered by no more than 6 inches of water. Lower the container to a depth of 12 inches once the plant grows 6 inches above the surface of the water.

Push three or four additional aquatic plant fertilizer tablets into the container every three to four weeks while your viviparous tropical waterlilies are actively growing and blooming. Withhold fertilizer from your plant during its dormancy.

Prune dead leaves and flowers from the tropical waterlilies throughout the summer as needed. Use sharp, sterile garden shears when you prune your waterlilies.

Remove the container from your pond or water garden in the winter; tropical waterlilies aren't tolerant of cold temperatures. Store the plant in a cool, dry location. Resubmerge the container the following summer.