Water Lily
Nymphaea hybrids
Family Nymphaeaceae
A pond without a water lily is just a puddle with ambition. Give this classic a submerged pot and six hours of sun and it answers with sculpted blooms floating among the pads all summer — serene white through sunset pinks and yellows, plus fragrant night-bloomers among the tropical kinds.
The pads earn their keep: spreading three to eight feet across the surface, they shade and cool the water, which quietly starves algae. Hardy types winter right in the pond's deep end, and a half-barrel makes a patio water garden. Sink one pot this year — the frogs will thank you.
Full Sun
High water
Moderate growth
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing water lily? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries water lily — Nymphaea, print Nº 502, “Water Lily.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what water lily actually needs.
Hardy inZones 3-11Water Lily · Common problems
Common water lily problems
Water Lily · Growing & propagation
Growing water lily
- Light
- Full Sun
6+ hrs for bloom
- Water
- Aquatic
Grown in submerged pots in a pond or container water garden
Soil- Heavy clay/aquatic loam in the pot, topped with gravel · pH 6.0 - 7.0
Fertilizer- Aquatic plant tabs pushed into the pot monthly in season
Pruning- Remove yellowing pads and spent flowers
Plant the tuber in a heavy submerged pot (no drainage holes), top with gravel, sink so the crown is 12-18 in underwater. Hardy types overwinter in the pond's deep end; tropicals are treated as annuals or overwintered warm.
Spacing- One tuber per 1-3 gal pot
How to plant & propagate water lily
- Propagate
- Division or seed
Water Lily · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Water Lily · Yearly calendar
The water lily year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomBloomJune to August
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Water Lily · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Nymphaea hybrids
Water Lily in the garden system
- Nectary/insectary
Attracts- Bees
Habitat- Wetland
Moisture- Wetland / wet-tolerant
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
What water lily is grown for
✓ Not known to be toxic
Use- Ponds
- Use
- Container water gardens
- Use
- Pond shade
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Water Lily · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a water lily variety
Hardy 'Attraction' (red), 'Chromatella' (yellow); tropical 'Panama Pacific' (purple), night-blooming 'Red Flare'
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Water Lily
Nymphaea hybrids
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Nymphaea hybrids
- Plant family
- Nymphaeaceae
- Growth habit
- Perennial
- USDA plant symbol
- NYMPH
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
Questions
Water Lily questions, answered straight.
Is water lily safe for kids and pets?
Water Lily is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
How do you propagate water lily?
Division or seed.
Elsewhere
Where water lily sits in the library.
Sunflower
Zinnia
Peony
Daylily