Runaway Water Lilies: Root Removal & Salt Control

Yellow water lilies escaped pots, now cover 18'×7' pond — beautiful but blinding. They rooted in sludge and liner folds. Two-pronged attack needed.

Physical Removal

1. Locate all root anchors: Feel in sludge, check pot edges, liner seams.
2. Pull rhizomes completely: Trace each leaf to crown; extract entire runner.
3. Expect multiple anchor points — they spread like strawberries.

Chemical Control (Salt on Leaves)

• Pure salt only: Kosher, pond, or solar — NO table salt.
• Sprinkle directly on floating leaves — desiccates tissue, starves roots.
• Repeat as new leaves emerge — weekly through season.

Prevention

• Pot all lilies — fabric aquatic baskets, aquatic media, gravel top.
• Divide annually — prevents escape, increases blooms.
• Fertilize in pots only — tabs pushed deep — no water column feeding.

Pink Lily Note

Slow-growing pink variety stays put — keep it potted. It's the well-behaved one.

Lilies are aggressive colonizers. Contain them, or they'll contain your pond.