Why You Should Never Plant Water Lilies in a Community Lake: Invasive Spread and Removal Nightmare

Q: Our home is on a community lake. I'd like to add water lilies to our shoreline but told they're very invasive. True?

DO NOT plant water lilies! They'll definitely become a problem for the lake ecosystem. Water lilies reproduce by seeds and rhizomes. One source says one planted rhizome covers a 15-foot-diameter circle in 5 years. Terribly hard to remove. If you like the flowers, visit Gibbs Gardens in Ball Ground (www.gibbsgardens.com). Five ponds display over 140 varieties summer through early fall.