Floating leaves on dwarf lily

**Jeddi** · 07-15-2010, 10:18 PM

I'm just wondering if you guys prune them back or no? I'm having a hard time deciding if I want to let the leaves float or not. My plant took a few days to send a leaf to the top and its about to start opening. I've heard that if you let them float, they stop producing the lower leaves AND the existing lower leaves fall off. I'm not too happy about that... I don't want to be seeing a bunch of stems going straight to the top and no leaves in the water.

So apparently pruning them before they reach the top "teaches" them to stay lower. Is it possible to let it grow a few floating leaves (maybe 3-4) and cut off any more that shoot to the top, and it'll only make submerged leaves and the floating ones will still exist? Or am I hoping for too much.

I like the way the lily looks right now and I wouldn't mind some floating leaves, but not if that's all it'll be.

**smaug** · 07-15-2010, 11:47 PM

If you allow no emerging leaves to make it to the top you will be blessed with a low growing bushy submerged plant that will live longer.Allowing some to make it encourages the plant to put most of its energy into floating leaves and you will see the lower submerged leaves get longer stalks until eventually all of them are either floaters or submerged leaves spread out from top to mid levels.Thsi is what they look like of all emerging leaves are cut immediatly.
lily03.JPG

**Jeddi** · 07-15-2010, 11:54 PM

That's what mine sort of looks like... other than the giant stem and floating leaf protruding from it. Only time will tell what'll happen.

**DrNic** · 07-18-2010, 01:31 PM

As mentioned, if you prune the long leaves you will get a bushy plant that grows under the water. If you allow the longer leaves to grow you can shorten the life of the plant, however floating leaves promote the plant to flower if you have the right conditions. Since most people can't easily see the tops of their tanks because of hoods most people trim the leaves back.