From our perspective, the change is not sudden but a gradual, inevitable shift. We feel it first in the light. The sun's arc across the sky lowers, and the hours of daylight dwindle. This photoperiod is our most reliable calendar. Concurrently, the water temperature begins to drop, its warmth seeping away into the cooling air. These two signals—diminishing light and falling temperature—trigger a profound physiological response within us. It is a signal not of death, but of conservation. Our summer-long work of capturing sunlight and producing growth must now give way to a period of rest and preservation.
You will observe our most visible change in our leaves and flowers. The vibrant green pads may begin to yellow, develop brown spots, or simply soften and disintegrate. The magnificent flowers cease production entirely. Do not be alarmed; this is a deliberate and strategic retreat. The energy required to maintain these large, photosynthetic surfaces is far greater than any energy we could harvest from the weak winter sun. Instead of wasting precious reserves, we systematically break down the chlorophyll and nutrients in the foliage, translocating them down to our most vital part: the rhizome, hidden safely in the mud below the waterline. We are withdrawing our assets from a failing market to our secure, underground vault.
Beneath the water and mud, our true essence endures. The rhizome is a modified stem, a stout, tuber-like structure that serves as our larder and lifeboat. Throughout the growing season, we stored starches and sugars within it. Now, in dormancy, this rhizome becomes our entire world. Our metabolic rate slows to a bare minimum—just enough to sustain basic cellular functions. We are not dead; we are in a state of suspended animation, waiting. The key to our survival is that the rhizome must not freeze solid. As long as it remains in the non-freezing environment at the bottom of the pond, protected by the insulating properties of water and mud, we can withstand the ice and snow above.
Your role in our winter journey is primarily one of non-interference and protection. If we are situated in a pond deep enough that the water above our rhizomes will not freeze completely (generally considered to be at least 18-24 inches deep), you can simply leave us be. Allow our spent foliage to decay naturally; it becomes part of the pond's ecosystem. If the pond is shallower, you must act to prevent the ice from reaching us. This can be achieved by moving our container to the deepest part of the pond, or, in very cold climates, by bringing our rhizome into artificial hibernation. In this case, you would gently remove us from the pond after the foliage has died back, trim the roots and old leaves, and store our rhizome in a plastic bag filled with slightly damp sphagnum moss or sand, placed in a cool, dark place like a basement where temperatures remain consistently between 40-50°F (4-10°C). The goal is to keep us moist but not wet, and cool but not frozen.
Our dormancy is not permanent. As the sun strengthens and the water begins to warm again, we sense the reversal of the signals that sent us to sleep. The increasing light and temperature prompt the rhizome to break its dormancy. You will see small, pale shoots beginning to emerge from the "eyes" or growth points on the rhizome. This is our signal that we are ready to return to the world. This is the time to repot us in fresh loam soil and return us to the shallow, sun-warmed waters of the pond, where we can begin our annual cycle of growth and beauty once more. Your patience and care during our quiet months make this glorious return possible.
