Water lilies species list

Peach Glow lilies have fragrant peach to orange blooms with blossoms that are held above water, much like a Tropical water lily. The flower is goblet shaped and is complemented by green leaves with faint mottling. It is recommended to be planted in a container that is at least 2 feet in diameter and in 6-36" of water. This plant spreads 3-5 ft and is good for medium or large ponds with full sun. Zones 4-11.

Approximate Purchase Size: 8" to 16"

Peach Glow

Approximate leaf spread: 100 - 120cm (39 - 48 inches)
Recommended water depth over crown of plant: 20 - 90cm (8 - 36 inches)
Flowering time: June to September
Supplied bare root

Also known as 'Peachglow', this is one of our all-time favourite waterlilies. The colour is just sensational! Anyone coming across a young Peach Glow for the first time could be forgiven for thinking it's just another excellent yellow. It is not until plants mature that the true glory comes through. The first flowers of each season carry little if any of the peach hues. These gradually become apparent with each successive flower. Here in the UK plants only take on their true peach for a few short weeks at the height of summer. Something really worth waiting for! Sadly by late summer they return to being just a wonderful yellow.

The flowers of this hybrid are exceptionally large for a lily of moderate spread and are often nearly as big as the leaves. They also stand exceptionally high above the foliage for a hardy lily, although this does depend on the maturity of the plant. A fully mature stand of this hybrid viewed at the height of summer has to be seen to be believed. Flowers are produced in great profusion from early in the season right through until the first frosts of autumn. They also stay open much later than most hardy lilies, often into early evening.

We recommend starting your Nymphaea 'Peach Glow' off in a pot of 4 litres capacity. Read more on how to pot and care for your plant here.

Water Lilies, Popular Aquatic Pond Plants

Water lilies – or Nymphaea, to scientists – are considered by many to be the jewels of the pond. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they also serve an important purpose in the pond, mainly in aiding its ecosystem. Water lilies spread across the water‘s surface, filling it with color and vibrancy all the while keeping the pond and the creatures in it safe and healthy. produce.

Besides being pleasing to the eye, water lilies do a great deal to maintain the well-being of the ponds they inhabit. For one, they provide shade to keep the water temperature down during the hot summer months. By blocking out a lot of sunlight, the lilies help to keep the algae growth down. Their shade also gives shelter to any fish that may be in the pond – a respite from both the sun and any predators that may be lurking nearby. They also absorb nutrients in the water that would normally feed these undesirable green plants, keeping the water clear and clean-looking.

General Information

Hardy water lilies can remain in the pond year round. The lily will die off in the winter time and produce new leaves and flowers in the spring. The hardy lily generally flowers from May through September. Flowers come in a variety of colors, opening in the early morning and closing in the late afternoon. Some hardy water lily flowers change color shades over the life of the bloom

Water lilies grow completely within water, with their blossoms flourishing on top of or above the water’s surface. They typically grow to suit the size of the area in which they are placed, spreading their leaves across the surface of the water and filling it with color.

Water lilies require a lot of sun to grow properly. In frost-free regions, they bloom all year. In cooler regions, they bloom during the summer and often into the fall. Throughout their growing season, they constantly generate leaf growth. These leaves live up to three or four weeks at the peak of the season.

The most striking feature of water lilies is the incredible amount of variation found among the different plants. From their shape and size, their color and fragrance, or their blooming patterns and growing periods, there is a water lily for every preference and every pond.

Water lilies range notably in size – from miniature flowers with small leaves to giant plants that spread over 25 square feet. They come in a variety of shapes – star shaped, cup shaped, pointed or fluffy, though that’s certainly not all. The leaves can be smooth or jagged, rounded or pointed.

The colors are just as varied, ranging from yellow, pink, red, white, purple, blue and orange. Several types of lilies are incredibly fragrant, as well.

In the center of all water lilies are golden stamens – the organ of the flowers that bear pollen. When the lilies are young, the stamens stand straight. As the flowers age, they begin folding and curling into the flower.

The variations found in water lilies are especially pronounced when one breaks down the genus further, into hardy water lilies and tropical water lilies. They are similar, but they are not closely enough related to be naturally cross-bred. While both need a lot of sun to bloom and to thrive, tropical‘s, unlike hardies, can still bloom with as little as three hours of sun in a day. That said, tropical water lilies can be either day- or night-flowering plants, while hardies only open during the daylight hours. Tropical water lilies also start blooming later in the summer than hardies; however, they remain in bloom for longer than hardies. Tropicals also tend to have larger plants and larger blossoms than their hardy counterparts, and tend to hold their blossoms higher above the water than do the hardies.

These are a few of the differences between the two types, but the list continues. Both subgenres – hardy water lilies and tropical water lilies – have their own characteristics and their own needs, as outlined below.

Hardy Water Lilies

The leaves of hardy plants are circular in shape with smooth, round edges. There is a waxy cuticle covering their surface. These features all aid in their survival: the shape helps to protect them from tearing in rough winds or waves, while the waxy cuticle allows the water to roll off the surface so that the leaves do not sink.

Hardies come in a variety of colors, ranging from red, salmon, pink, white, yellow, orange, peach and nearly black. There are some varieties– called changeable water lilies – that change their color over their bloom period (of three to four days). Hardy water lilies are the first of the lilies to come into bloom in the spring. Once the water temperature holds steady at 60 degrees, they will begin to bloom, spreading their pads across the pond with their blossoms eventually floating on or just above the water’s surface. These shallow-rooted plants need plenty of room to grow and spread up and out across the pond.

In the early spring, these fresh lily pads will begin to emerge on the water’s surface. Many of the lilies will be in bloom by mid- to late-spring. They bloom throughout the warm-weather months, eventually becoming dormant in the fall. These are perennial plants, meaning that as long as the rhizome – the underground stem that sends out roots and shoots – does not freeze, the plant will survive through the winter and bloom again in spring. Come winter, in areas with no frost, they will continue to grow, however their growth will certainly slow down a bit. Year-round blooming is possible in frost-free zones. In areas with frost, however, the lilies survive through the winter only if they are below the pond ice.

These are not night-blooming flowers. Indeed, they are open in full bloom by mid-morning and are closed again by mid- to late-afternoon. Though each flower will last approximately three to five days, new flowers will constantly open throughout the season.

Tropical Water Lilies

The lily pads of the tropical plants come in different shapes, typically smooth, toothed or fluted. The edges are usually jagged and pointed and may even look ruffled. The pads are larger than the hardies, often taking up much more space in the water than they do.

A tropical’s blossoms are impressively sized – some span more than a foot across. Like the hardies, they come in many different colors. The two subgenres share the same color palette, for the most part (red, salmon, pink, white, yellow, orange, peach and near-black), but these types also come in blue and purple.

Tropical‘s require warmer temperatures than do the hardies to bloom, thus making them a bit more difficult to grow. After three or more weeks of temperatures above 80 degrees, these flowers will finally start to open up and bloom. Once they do, they fill the ponds with their colorful blossoms throughout the summer months and well into fall. After the hardies have gone dormant, tropicalswill stay in bloom for several weeks longer, often until the first frost. During the winter months, however, they go dormant and die.

There are two kinds of tropical water lilies: night bloomers and day bloomers. Lilies in the white, pink or red color range tend to be night bloomers, and these types are typically more fragrant. These flowers can take an entire hour to fully open, and tend to open in the late afternoon or early evening and close the following mid-morning.

Day bloomers, however, are the most common kind of tropical water lilies. They are fragrant, as well, but their scents are usually lighter and sweeter than the heavy-scented tropicals. Day bloomers have pointed petals and come in various shades, from magenta, red or pink, to white or yellow, or to blue or violet. They open midmorning and close again during the late afternoon hours.

The blooms of both day and night bloomers open and close for periods of three to four days, holding their flowers above the water on strong, stiff stems.

Planting and Maintenance

There are two options when it comes to planting water lilies. They can either be planted in aquatic plant pots (the kind with no holes in the bottom) or directly in a hole created at the bottom of the pond. The planting of the lily itself will not be affected by the method you choose. Once you determine whether to use plant pots or plant pockets, you can begin the whole process.

With plant pots, a hole is created in the bottom of the pond into which the pots will be placed. These holes at the bottom of the pond must be able to accommodate the pot, so it is important that they are deep and wide enough. Once the vessel has been chosen and the lilies have been planted, you can place the pot into the hole. Take heed: the pot must lie directly on top of the soil at the bottom of the hole on level ground.

“If you choose to use the pocket method, you will plant the water lilies directly into the hole at the bottom of the pond.”

The size of your pond will determine the size of the container you use or the hole you dig. Again, lilies grow to suit the size of the area they are in – keep this in mind. As a rule, the larger the vessel, the larger the lilies will grow.

Water lilies thrive best in heavy garden topsoil, but take care to make sure it has not been mixed with other substances such as manure or compost.
When determining where to place the water lilies, one must keep in mind that they do not thrive when faced with heavy water movement or with water splashing on them. Therefore, they should not be placed near waterfalls, streams or other such potential problem areas.

Maintaining the well-being of the lilies is vital for keeping ponds beautiful. Lilies should be fertilized regularly. This will help the flowers to grow larger and to bloom more frequently. You also must take care to remove all dead or yellowing leaves from the plant’s surface so they will not sink to the bottom and decompose. You should also keep the stems trimmed, pruning them as close to the rhizome as you are able.

There are some differences between hardies and tropicals, however, in terms of their planting and maintenance.

Hardies

Ideally, you should set your hardy lilies out once the early spring chill has subsided but before they begin growing. Doing so will enable them to produce blooms their first summer. If you buy the rhizomes before you can plant them, keep them submerged in water and leave them in a cool place and away from directly sunlight.

These lilies should be planted in pots or holes six to eight inches deep or in pots of a nine- to 20- (or more) quart capacity. The smallest pots recommended for standard and larger sized lilies are nine- to 10-quart containers. At least a five-quart container is recommended for the smaller lilies.

Fill the container about one-third of the way with topsoil then place the seed on top. Then cover the seed with soil so that the tip is just barely peeking through the soil. The blossoms of hardies will rise to the surface one at a time every three to seven days.

Maintenance is key, especially with hardies whose leaves continuously die and grow back throughout the growing season. Yellow leaves and four-day-old blossoms should be removed regularly. You should stop fertilizing hardy lilies in the early fall season as the growth of the plant slows. After the first frost, you should remove about two-thirds of the foliage.

Hardy lilies can live through the winter, but special care must be given to them during this time. In cold regions, they will survive if they are below the ice. If the pond isn’t deep enough to lower the containers as needed, remove the pans with the lilies in them and take them to a cool location. Keep them covered with damp material, such as a damp cloth, then seal them in a plastic bag to keep them from drying out.

In areas where frost does not threaten the growth of the lilies, their growth will slow down significantly but will, nonetheless, continue growing.

Tropicals

With tropical water lilies, planting should commence once the pond water has maintained a steady 69 degree temperature. It is very important to note that planting them before the water has reached this temperature may cause serious damage to the plants. They can go dormant – or, at worst, die. They must be planted immediately; unlike their hardy counterparts, these water lilies will not last more than a couple of days without the proper growing conditions.

These lilies should be planted in 15- to 20-quart tubs. They should be planted so that there are six to 18 inches of water growing over their tips.

They will begin growing roughly two weeks after they have been planted and then will begin blooming in another two to four weeks. They should be fertilized about twice a month.

In frost-free regions, tropicals will bloom year-round. In areas prone to frost, however, they do not fare the winter quite as the hardies do, and will die after a few bouts of frost. Many pond owners choose to replace them each spring. Keeping them alive is not a hopeless dream, however. There are options. Before the first frost, remove the plants from the water and trim back their foliage. Keep them in a greenhouse until winters’ end. They can be taken out once the water temperature has reached – and maintained – a steady 69 degrees again. They should be repotted in fresh soil and fertilized as usual. Once these steps have been taken, they can be placed back in the pond another season of growth and enjoyment.

Other Websites :

- www.waterplantsforponds.com/water_lily_catalog.htm

- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphaea

- floridaaquatic.com/water_garden_plants_1.html

- capemaywildlife.com/_templates/group_waterlilies.html

- www.luontoportti.com/suomi/en/kukkakasvit/?c=Nymphaeaceae

Hardy Waterlilies Species List :

1-Texas Dawn Waterlily

Characteristics and requirements of the Texas Dawn Water Lily are:

Hardy Zones: 3-11 [See Map]
Planting Depth: 12-15" over crown.
Spread: 4-5' diameter.
Foliage: Green pads flecked with reddish brown.
Sunlight: 3-5 hours of direct sun.
Flower: Lemon yellow blooms.
Other: Texas Dawn is the official State Waterlily of Texas

Nymphaea ‘Texas Dawn’ Hardy Waterlily displays a 6-8″ star shaped, medium yellow flower and medium light green leaves, lightly marbled when young. The flower stands 4-8″ above the water in medium depth water and has a strong lemony fragrance. Texas Dawn is an extremely good bloomer, spreads 4-6′ in 6 in. to 3 ft. of water, is adaptable to smaller pots and ponds, and is shade tolerant.

When grown in USDA zones 6 – 10, spring planted plants can be expected to produce seven or eight blooms at a time by midsummer. In late summer and fall the flowers may take on an attractive pink cast. It is a profuse bloomer whose fragrance is delightfully lemony.

2-Joey Tomocik Waterlily

Characteristics and requirements of the Joey Tomocik Water Lily are:

Hardy Zones: 3-11 [See Map]
Planting Depth: 12-15" over crown.
Spread: 4-5' diameter.
Foliage: Green, softly mottled leaves.
Sunlight: 6-8 hours of direct sun.
Flower: Vivid lemon yellow blooms held above the surface of the water.

Nymphaea ‘Joey Tomocik’ is a hardy waterlily. It was created by the Dr. Strawn. It’s date of origin is 1993. It’s date of publication is 1994. It is a vivid yellow flower with speckled pads. As many of Dr. Strawn’s lilies are, this is a yellow that is hard to beat in the hardy waterlily category.

Nymphaea ‘Joey Tomocik’ Hardy Waterlily displays a 4-6″ cup/star shaped, dark yellow flower and light green leaves, lightly marbled when young. The flower stands 3-5″ from the surface of the water and has a lemony fragrance. Joey Tomocik is an excellent bloomer, spreads 4-6′ in 6 in. to 8 ft. of water, is adaptable to smaller pots and ponds, and is shade tolerant.

3- Helvola Waterlily

Characteristics and requirements of the Helvola Water Lily are:

Hardy Zones: 3-11 [See Map]
Planting Depth: 2-12" over crown.
Spread: 1-3' diameter.
Foliage:Green leaves with maroon spotting.
Sunlight: 6-8 hours of direct sun.
Flower: Small yellow flowers.

Pygmaea Helvola

Approximate leaf spread: 30 - 45cm (12 - 18 inches)
Recommended water depth over crown of plant: 10 - 20cm (4 - 8 inches)
Flowering time: June to September
Supplied bare root

The smallest of all the hardy waterlilies, 'Pygmaea Helvola' produces dainty little primrose-yellow flowers with very pretty blotched miniature leaves in shades of red and green. Free-flowering and great for a tub garden or small pond. So good it has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (AGM).

Other common nameswaterlily 'Pygmaea Helvola'
SynonymsNymphaea × helvola
FamilyNymphaeaceae
GenusNymphaea 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
Horticultural GroupHardy Nymphaea are aquatic perennials with rounded floating leaves and showy flowers on or just above the water, with numerous narrow petals and conspicuous stamens, in white and shades of yellow, pink and red
Details'Pygmaea Helvola' is a miniature water-lily with dark, purple-blotched, rounded floating leaves to 12cm in length, and cupped, fragrant, sulphur-yellow flowers 5cm across, with orange stamens

4-Rose Laydekeri Waterlily

Characteristics and requirements of the Rose Laydekeri Water Lily are:

Hardy Zones: 3-11 [See Map]
Planting Depth: 8-12" over crown.
Spread: 2-4' diameter (good for tub gardens).
Foliage: Green leaves.
Sunlight: 6-8 hours of direct sun.
Flower: Miniature pink blooms.

5- Attraction Waterlily :

Characteristics and requirements of the Attraction Water Lily are:

Hardy Zones: 3-11 [See Map]
Planting Depth: 12-15" over crown.
Spread: 4-5' diameter.
Foliage: New leaves bronze turning to green.
Sunlight: 4-6 hours of direct sun.
Flower: Deep red inner petals with paler outer petals.

Create Your Paradise
Increase Shade & Filtration
Enjoy Blooms All Summer

Attraction Hardy Water Lily is a very popular hybrid with one of the largest glowing-red flowers of all the hardy water lilies. It is rated among the worlds greatest lilies, is a very free bloomer, and the blossom makes for excellent cut flowers in arrangements. Its rich flowers are a vibrant red with petals tipped with rose and flecked with white. Attractions stamens are of a rich mahogany-tipped yellow and sepals are white with traces of rose.

6-Laydekeri Fulgens Waterlily

Characteristics and requirements of the Laydekeri Fulgens Water Lily are:

Hardy Zones: 3-11 [See Map]
Planting Depth: 12-15" over crown.
Spread: 4-5' diameter..
Foliage: Dark green leaves with reddish brown flecks.
Sunlight: 6-8 hours of direct sun.
Flower: Glowing red, cup-shaped blooms.

Laydekeri Fulgens

Approximate leaf spread: 90cm (36 inches)
Recommended water depth over crown of plant: 15 - 60cm (6 - 24 inches)
Flowering time: June to September
Supplied bare root

The Laydekeri waterlily varieties are well known as excellent plants for small pools and tubs because of their relatively small size and free-flowering nature. Fulgens is the most striking of the group, with vivid red flowers.

We recommend starting your Nymphaea 'Laydekeri Fulgens' off in a pot of 2 litres capacity. Read more on how to pot and care for your plant here.

7-Red Spider Waterlily
Characteristics and requirements of the Red Spider Water Lily are:

Hardy Zones: 3-11 [See Map]
Planting Depth: 12-15" over crown.
Spread: 3-5' diameter.
Foliage: Olive green with maroon specks.
Sunlight: 6-8 hours of direct sun.
Flower: Long, narrow, crinkled red petals with orange stamens.

– characteristics –
Free flowering.
– flowers –
Petal color: Blushed red becoming more intense red toward inner petals.
Flower shape: Stellate with crinkled petals.
Flower size: 7 – 10 cm.
Fragrance: Slight.
Number of petals: 34 – 36.
– leaves –
Color: Dark green with flecking toward outer edges.
Leaf spread: 100 cm.
– comments –
Nymphaea ‘Red Spider’ gives a truly outstanding display of radiant scarlet hues and has full stellate crinkled petals.
This waterlily is an excellent choice for a medium pond.

8-Virginia Waterlily

Characteristics and requirements of the Virginia Water Lily are:

Hardy Zones: 3-11 [See Map]
Planting Depth: 12-15" over crown.
Spread: 5-6' diameter.
Foliage: Green leaves.
Sunlight: 4-6 hours of direct sun.
Flower: Off-white star-shaped blooms.

The Virginia water lily is a free-blooming hardy water lily. This lily bares fragrant, cup to star-shaped flowers, with soft yellow inner petals and white outer petals. This gives it a cream to ivory appearance. It is a cross between Nymphaea 'Sulfurea Grandiflor' and Nymphaea 'Gladstonian' lilies.

A very dependable bloomer for any size pond, Virginia has a flexible stem. This lily is a good grower and also winters well. The blooms measure from 7 to 8", with leaves that are 10" x 8-1/2" and a spread of 4-5 ft. Zones 4-11.

Approximate Purchase Size: 8" to 16"

Nymphaea 'Virginia'
This free-flowering lily was developed here at Lilypons and features large, showy white flowers held just above the water's surface.
Hybridized by Charles Thomas in 1962 and named for his mother. Free flowering.
Flower color: White
Flower size: 7-8"
Overall spread: 5-6'
Leaf size: 8-10"
Rhizome: Marliac
Light: Full sun
Recommended container size: 7.5 qt or larger.

9-Perry's Double White Waterlily

Characteristics and requirements of the Perry's Double White Water Lily are:

Hardy Zones: 3-11 [See Map]
Planting Depth: 12-15" over crown.
Spread: 4-5' diameter.
Foliage: Green leaves with slightly ruffled edges.
Sunlight: 6-8 hours of direct sun.
Flower: Pure white with long blooming season.

Developed in 1990 by Perry D. Slocum, the Perry's Double White is a free-flowering lily. It blooms off white with cup-shaped flowers measuring 4 to 6 inches. This lily is an excellent bloomer that stays open late. It spreads 1 to 3 feet and is a great addition to any size pond. Recommended to be in 6-24" of water in a 2 gallon or larger container. Zones 4-11.

Approximate Purchase Size: 8" to 16"

Nymphaea 'Perry's Double White'

One of the smallest of the Odorata rhizome varieties, this prolific lily blooms over a long season, and spreads less rapidly than other Odorata types.

Hybridized in 1990 by Perry Slocum. Free flowering.

Flower color: White
Flower size: 5-7"
Overall spread: 4-5'
Leaf size: 9-10"
Rhizome: Odorata
Light: Full sun
Recommended container size: 19 qt or larger.

10-Colorado Waterlily

Characteristics and requirements of the Colorado Water Lily are:

Hardy Zones: 3-11 [See Map]
Planting Depth: 12-15" over crown.
Spread: 4-6' diameter.
Foliage: New leaves mottled fading to green.
Sunlight: 6-8 hours of direct sun.
Flower: Salmon colored with a long blooming season.

Colorado

Approximate leaf spread: 100 - 120cm (39 - 48 inches)
Recommended water depth over crown of plant: 20 - 90cm (8 - 36 inches)
Flowering time: June to September
Supplied bare root

'Colorado' is a remarkable modern hardy waterlily from America. The first flowers produced in spring are a two-tone yellow and pink colour, but as the weather gets warmer these colours deepen and blend, to create a striking and unusual shade of orangey-salmon-pink. The blooms are held high above the foliage - up to a foot above in good weather - like those of a tropical waterlily, giving the pond a really exotic look. Colorado produces plenty of blooms - it is one of the most free-flowering waterlilies you can buy - and has a very long flowering season, extending well into the autumn. The leaves are also attractive, with purple blotches on a green background, and the plant remains evergreen in all but the coldest weather. From a distance this plant is particularly stunning.