Tropical day-blooming water lilies are annuals in the Nymphaeaceae family and generally last one season in temperate areas. The plants vary in size depending on the species and cultivar. They prefer temperatures above 70 degrees F so don't plant them too early in the spring. Provide at least 5 hours of sun in fertile loamy soils and fertilize with an appropriate fertilizer for water lilies according to package directions. These water lilies are planted in a container and then sunk into the water garden or pond. Follow planting directions from the seller. Tubers can be dug up and stored for next year if desired. Viviparous water lilies form plantlets attached to the mother plant. The flowers come in almost every shade of white, pink, orange, yellow, purple, pink and blue with blooms up to 12 inches wide. They are usually fragrant and held above the water line. Leaves are round, green to mottled with wavy to frilly margins. and can be up to 15 inches wide. Use these plants in a container, water garden or pond. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Watch for crown rot, waterlily aphids, waterlily beetles, midges, and leaf spot More information on Nymphaea .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Full plant profile
Form & Appearance
Leaf color
Cream/Tan; Green; Red/Burgundy
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Orbicular
Leaf margin
Sinuate; Undulate
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, > 6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Rounded leaves with toothed, wavy or frilly edges. They are green to mottled or flecked in dark red to cream and up to 15 inches wide.
Flower color
Blue; Gold/Yellow; Orange; Pink; Purple/Lavender
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
> 6 inches
Flower detail
Flowers are double and cup-shaped with yellow stamens in shades of white, pink, red, purple, yellow, orange and blue.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Green
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit detail
The capsule starts out green and dries to brown when the three chambers split open to release seeds
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
Green floating stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
Water lily leaves provide a landing pad for thirsty bees while offering shelter for aquatic wildlife beneath the surface. The shade cast from the leaves also helps to prevent the growth of algae.