Product Overview
Nymphaea 'Lava Walk' Yellow & Coral-Red Bicolor Hardy Water Lily
Lava Walk is a mutation of Wanvisa and at its best, the flower has a yellow background with strong striping and speckles of coral red. Leaves are similar to Wanvisa, green that are so heavily marbled with brown that there is more brown than green.
The problem is that most of the time, for us and for many growers and customers, Lava Walk only produces yellow flowers, or flowers with a few faint stripes. It appears that its best variegation is produced in hot weather. Growers in Arizona and Alabama have said they get fairly reliable variegation in summer, so take your local heat index into account when deciding which cultivar of the Wanvisa group to order.
Some growers say that Lava Walk has more reliable variegation than Paranee or Siam Fantasy, while other growers say the opposite. Heat does seem to be the primary way to maximize the potential for getting variegated blooms on all three of these cultivars. If you want to learn more about similar cultivars that are in the Wanvisa group and which might best fit your needs, please read our article Ring of Fire, Witch Dorothy, and Other Water Lilies of the Wanvisa Group -- A Review and Comparison.
SIZE: Medium to Large, yet with a compact growing habit (5'+ Spread)
PLANTING CONTAINER: We recommend a 12.5" x 7" or 15" x 7" fabric pot. Click on the link to read about why fabric pots work better!
FERTILIZING: For best health and growth, and especially for maximizing the size and number of blooms, we recommend fertilizing waterlilies regularly. Use Pondtabbs 20 count, 60 count, or 300 count for fast release, or Aquascape 6 count or 12 count capsules for slow release (once a year) fertilizing. Aquascape is preferred for low maintenance, but Pondtabbs are useful in Spring when Aquascape is slow to start in low temperatures. Pondtabbs are also useful for a quick extra nutrient push for extra bloom, and for mid-summer fertilizing of a new plant (we don't recommend using slow release fertilizer in mid-summer or later in cold climates, as plants should run out of fertilizer at the end of the year to encourage dormancy in cold climates).
LIGHT REQUIREMENTS: Full sun to partial shade; the more sun, the more bloom
WATER DEPTH: 6-24" (Maximum water depth is for mature water lilies). Shallow water encourages more leave growth and less bloom.
USDA HARDINESS ZONES: 4-11
Water Lilies are shipped bare root and will require planting upon arrival. For in depth planting instructions visit Hardy Waterlily Planting Instructions
For information on using plants for pond filtration, please read our blog on this topic!
