Florida Aquascaping Nymphaea Water Lily

While it thrives in outdoor ponds, you can grow it in a large aquarium provided you have high-intensity lighting. Keep in mind that this is a vigorous grower, so you will need significant vertical space for the leaves to reach the surface.

The bulb is a dormant tuber that requires a few weeks to establish roots and sprout leaves, making it a more economical choice if you are patient. The full-grown plant arrives established with leaves, offering an immediate visual impact for your water feature.

This variety is hardy, but it prefers water temperatures between 45 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If your pond freezes over in winter, you should remove the plant and store the tuber in a cool, dark, frost-free location until spring.

Yes, water lilies are heavy feeders. For the best results, use an aquatic plant fertilizer tablet pushed into the soil near the roots once a month during the active growing season.

For optimal growth, place the plant so that the crown is submerged 6 to 18 inches below the water surface. If you are starting with a bulb, you can begin at a shallower depth and lower it as the stems grow longer.