Dwarf lilly

[Ron C]

It seems like my dwarf lilly is losing leaves, I got pads floating on top and more growing, but the base of plant is thinning out, any ideas what's going on.

[KBOzzie59]

It may be preparing to go dormant.

[Ron C]

On 6/13/2021 at 11:17 AM, KBOzzie59 said:

It may be preparing to go dormant.

So is this normal, I've had it for about 2 months.

[Ben_RF]

It may be exerting more energy to get leaves to the top level to have better access not only to light but CO2.  Many of my aquarium dwarf lillies have done this in the past.  Also it may possibly be nutrient defiency as it sheds it gets rid of its least productive leaves to focus in on those who provide it the most. 

Fun little itp, you sort of can train plants at times.  If you cut runners that go to the surface; it will promote it to bush out.  As time goes on it, it sort of learns to take less attempts to send up runners. 

[kwyjibo]

On 6/13/2021 at 10:23 AM, Ben_RF said:

Fun little itp, you sort of can train plants at times.  If you cut runners that go to the surface; it will promote it to bush out.  As time goes on it, it sort of learns to take less attempts to send up runners. 

This explains our lily. It would send 3 or 4 large leaves to the surface and was growing like crazy under the substrate as well. We began trimming it down to 2 or 3 big, healthy leaves to let some light to the plants below. Then, for about 2 months, it decided on it's own that 1 surface leaf was enough and began sprouting leaves 4 to 6 inches high, so we just let it be.

Eventually, it let go of the surface leaf and has been slowly bushing out at about 5 inches above the substrate for the past few months.

Thanks for the explanation.

[Ron C]

On 6/13/2021 at 11:17 AM, KBOzzie59 said:

It may be preparing to go dormant.

So is this normal, I've had it for about 2 months.

[CalmedByFish]

On 6/13/2021 at 3:19 PM, kwyjibo said:

 We began trimming it down to 2 or 3 big, healthy leaves to let some light to the plants below...
Eventually, it let go of the surface leaf and has been slowly bushing out at about 5 inches above the substrate for the past few months.

I've been trying to make my lily do this. (I really dislike the lily pads and their stems. Feels like clutter to me. But I like the "bush.") This gives me hope that it's going to work. 🙂