About
An aquatic perennial with broadly oval, floating leaves up to 20cm across, opening light purple with darker markings, maturing to bronze-green. Bright red flowers, with orange-red stamens, open cup-shaped, becoming star-shaped, in summer Dwarf/small cultivars reach 30–60cm (1–2ft) wide, and need water 30–45cm (12–18in) deep Medium cultivars reach 60–120cm (2–4ft) wide, and need water 45–75cm (18–30in) deep Large cultivars reach up to 2.4m (8ft) wide, and need water 75–120cm (30in–4ft) deep For a suitable planting depth in your pond, please follow the plant label guidelines.
About the genus
Nymphaea are rhizomatous, submerged aquatic perennials with floating, rounded leaves and showy, sometimes fragrant, cup- or bowl-shaped flowers in a wide range of colours, held on or above the water and followed by submerged, berry-like fruits
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeClay, Loam
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moisturePoorly-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeAquatic
HabitSubmerged, Floating
FoliageDeciduous
Spread1-1.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden
Care notes
CultivationGrow 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 lower the plants to twice the initial planting depth. Feed with aquatic fertilizer during the growing season. See waterlily cultivation
PruningDeadhead and remove yellow leaves regularly
PropagationPropagate by division of rhizomes or offsets in summer, placing pots in shallow water until established
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to waterlily beetle, waterlily aphid, brown china-mark moth and leaf-mining midge
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to crown rot, brown spot and waterlily leaf spot