Description
A really good example of the traditional water lily, this was the first water lily we purchased 40 years ago and started us off collecting water lilies. It is still one of our favourites.
Mature spread: Medium water lily covers an area in leaf up to 1.5m in diameter in Summer.
Top tip: Divide every 3-4 years for consistent flowering.
Flowers: June/September Flowering is successional with each flower opening from a tight bud to full flower over a period of 7-10 days. Each flower is at its best for three days, then gradually fades and droops under the water. Once the plant has fully matured, flowers at different stages of growth will be present all through the flowering season.
Planting depth: In the first season start with 20-30cm depth of water from soil surface to water surface and then once leaves and flowers die back in the Autumn, drop the depth to 30-45cm from soil surface to water surface.
Propagation: Divide plants in March/April by separating the rhizome where new shoots and roots are growing. Keep the bits in water until planted.
How to plant: Plant into a 10lt planting basket using heavy garden loam or Westland Aquatic Soil and immediately immerse fully in water to the suggested depth. For aesthetic purposes, the soil can then be top dressed with no more than 1cm of pea gravel.
