Nymphaea alba (H)

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white waterlily

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white waterlily RHS

Other common names

bobbins, cambie leaf, can dock, common water lily, European white lily, flutterdock, platter dock, lili-ddŵr wen

Plants for pollinators
Aquatic
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A vigorous aquatic perennial with rounded, dark green leaves, often red-green beneath, up to 30cm across. In summer, produces lightly scented, white flowers 20cm wide, with prominent yellow stamens, starting cup-shaped and becoming star-shaped with age

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Clay, Loam

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam
Moisture
Poorly–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H5

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower
Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Nymphaeaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
Yes
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Submerged, Floating
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
Name Status
Correct
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea

Hardy 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
Plant Range
Europe

How to Grow

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, lower the basket to twice the initial planting depth. Feed during the growing season with a proprietary aquatic fertiliser at the manufacturer's recommended rate. Has the potential to become a nuisance if not managed well. See aquatic weeds for more information

Propagation

Propagate by division of rhizomes or offsets in summer, place pots in shallow water until established

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Wildlife gardens

Pruning

Deadhead and remove yellow leaves regularly

Pests

Susceptible to water-lily beetle, water lily aphid, brown china-mark moth and false leaf-mining midge

Diseases

May be susceptible to crown rot, brown spot and water lily leaf spot