About
Nymphaea 'Barbara Dobbins' is a robust, compact aquatic perennial that produces an abundance of blooms. Its foliage consists of small, rounded dark-green leaves marked with purple splotches. From June to September, it showcases large, cup-shaped flowers that transition from peach to yellow with pink undertones, influenced by environmental conditions.
About the genus
Nymphaea consists of rhizomatous, aquatic perennials that grow beneath the water's surface. They produce rounded, floating leaves and notable cup- or bowl-shaped flowers, which can be fragrant and appear in various colors. These blooms are positioned on or above the water and give way to submerged fruits resembling berries.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Clay, Loam
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Poorly-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H5
Plant details
- Plant type
- Aquatic
- Habit
- Submerged, Floating
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Spread
- 1-1.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Wildlife gardens
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in undisturbed water in full sun. Plant in baskets in loamy soil with crowns just below soil surface and covered with pea shingle. Position basket so that it is covered by 15-25cm of water; as the plants establish gradually lower the plants to a depth of 50-60cm. See hardy waterlily cultivation for more advice
- Pruning
- Deadhead and remove yellow leaves regularly
- Propagation
- Propagate by division of rhizomes or offsets in summer, place pots in shallow water until established. See pond plant propagation
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to brown china-mark moth, false leaf-mining midge, water lily beetle and water lily aphid. See waterlily pests for more details
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to crown rot, brown spot and water lily leaf spot