Hardy Water Lilies (Nymphaea spp. & cvs)

Hardy water lilies can be grown from cool to warm climates and requires at least 3-4 hours of sunlight per day and flowers between October and April in Australia. Water lilies will NOT grow well in ponds/water features where there is fast moving or splashing water on their leaves. Should given some fertiliser tablets during their growing months in Spring and Summer to encourage flowering (especially when they are growing in pots). Sold in the form of barerooted rhizomes. (NOTE: Some older/vintage cultivars and species are no longer listed for sale on our website, but are still available sometimes upon request.)

To make it easier for plant selection, hardy water lilies have be divided into the following 6 groups (Small & Miniature, White & Cream, Pink & Deep Rose, Red & Crimson, Yellow and Bi-Colour & Changeable) based on colours and growth habit:

Small & Miniature Water Lilies

These water lilies are suitable for small tubs in balcony/rooftop gardens, small ponds/water features and any shallower water areas. They are smaller in leaf spread, hence, coverage is less when compared with a standard size water lily. Growth tip of the plant could be submerged between 15cms to 30cms below the water surface.

Nymphaea 'Aurora' (Hardy Water Lily) Very beautiful small cup shaped flowers opening creamy apricot and deepening to deep orange-red colour. Green leaves blotched, splashed and speckled with brown. The true form of this plant, not the mislabelled speckled-leaf plant commonly sold under this name.

AUD $22.00 each

Nymphaea 'Berit Strawn' (Hardy Water Lily) Attractive peach orange coloured cup shaped flowers. Deep green leaves are heavily speckled purplish brown all over.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Ellisiana' (Hardy Water Lily) A vintage small growing water lily cultivar from France with beautiful gentle red flowers. Attractive green leaves splashed or blotched with purplish-brown. The true form, not the mislabelled larger sized plant that has been sold under this name.

AUD $25.00 each

Nymphaea 'Graziella' (Hardy Water Lily) Beautiful reddish tone on yellow cup-shaped flowers. Lime green leaves highly streaked with purplish-brown. Rare.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Hermine' (Hardy Water Lily) Beautiful coconut-ice white star shaped flowers. Dark green green leaves. Compact in growth. The true form.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Indiana' (Hardy Water Lily) Attractive creamy apricot flowers that deepens into apricot orange before deepening further to reddish-orange with age. Green leaves blotched and splashed with purplish-brown.

AUD $25.00 each

Nymphaea 'Joanne Pring' (Hardy Water Lily) A small growing water lily with attractive highly flecked medium pink flowers. Slightly fragrant. Dark bronzed green leaves with a very wide open sinus "V" and initially splashed purple towards leaf centre. Is said to be a natural pink variant of the species Nymphaea tetragona.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Laydekeri Alba' (Hardy Water Lily) Very attractive waxy white cup shaped flowers with elegant rounded petals. Green leaves splashed brown. Gently perfumed with tea-like fragrance. An absolute gem!

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Laydekeri Lilacea' (Hardy Water Lily) Beautiful lilac pink flowers deepening each day to carmine or pinkish-red at the centre of the flower with age. Purplish-green leaves blotched with purplish-brown towards leaf perimeter and with varying open sinuses. An interesting small growing waterlily that is available again after some time. One for the collector. Rare.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Lemon Chiffon' (Hardy Water Lily) A more recent release with small globular creamy yellow flowers. Petals are broad and rounded at tips. Oval green leaves splashed and sprinkled with brown patterns. Very compact in growth, smaller in spread when compared to Marliacea Chromatella. Slow to propagate, hence limited supply.

AUD $35.00 each

Nymphaea 'Mary Patricia' (Hardy Water Lily) An old variety not common in cultivation. Very attractive cup shaped peach blossom pink flowers. Petals are more rounded. Golden yellow stamens. Leaves deep green occasionally blotched with purplish maroon.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'odorata Sulphurea' (Hardy Water Lily) An old fashion water lily hybrid. Creamy sulphur yellow star shaped blooms. Round green leaves heavily mottled and blotched with purplish-maroon. The TRUE cultivar that is a medium sized growing plant, NOT the large growing and flowering plants offered under this name. Very commonly confused and mislabelled in collections.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Paul Hariot' (Hardy Water Lily) Beautiful cup shaped pale apricot coloured flowers deepening with age. The petals are broad. Green leaves with tiny deep purplish-maroon splashes.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Perry's Baby Red' (Hardy Water Lily) Eye-catching deep red cup shaped flowers. Leaves initially purplish-brown maturing into medium green colour. A reliable grower.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'pygmaea Helvola' (Hardy Water Lily) The smallest yellow water lily hybrid. Gentle yellow star shaped flowers. Green leaves. heavily speckled purplish-brown. A reliable bloomer.

AUD $18.00 each

Nymphaea 'Solfatare' (Hardy Water Lily) One of our favourites! A classic lily with beautiful flowers opening yellow-apricot deepening to peach-red with age. Green leaves initially mottled with purplish brown. A reliable grower. The true cultivar offered with green leaves that has a wide open leaf sinus.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea tetragona (Hardy Water Lily) The tiniest of all water lily species. Beautiful white flowers that reaches a maximum size of a 50c coin. Green leaves that are sometimes splashed with purple. Can only be propagated by seed. All plants are 4 to 5 yrs old flowering size plants. A great miniature water lily for the small water garden tub or bowl. Rhizome or root at the size of a finger. Not for WA.

Currently Not Available

White & Cream Water Lilies

These white/cream coloured water lilies are suitable for medium to larger ponds or even farm dams. They require a much larger water surface area for their leaf spread, hence, coverage is more when compared with small/miniature size water lilies. Growth tip of the plant could be submerged between 20cms to 40cms below the water surface. Any deeper than 40cms the plant may not flower or grow properly.

Nymphaea 'Caroliniana Nivea' (Hardy Water Lily) Ivory white stellate shaped flowers with long narrow petals and touch of fragrance. Round green leaves.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Colossea' (Hardy Water Lily) Pale pink fading to off-white with age. Medium green leaves. Great for mass planting in dams.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Gladstoniana'/'Gladstone' (Hardy Water Lily) Large white flowers with green dish-like leaves. The true form not the water lily "Virginalis" sold under this name by some nurseries.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Gonnere' (Hardy Water Lily) Exceptional double snow-ball white flowers. Round light green leaves with lobes overlapping at leaf sinus. More of a medium to large growing water lily.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Loose' (Hardy Water Lily) Starry shaped white flowers with long narrow petals. Medium green leaves. An old cultivar not common in cultivation.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Marliacea Albida' (Hardy Water Lily) An attractive old fashion hybrid with creamy white stellate flowers. Large deep green leaves. New blooms are gently fragrant. Also suitable for dam plantings.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Tuberosa Maxima' (Hardy Water Lily) Large elegant semi-double pure white flowers with pointy petal tips and wide petal base. Huge bright round green leaves. Requires large areas to establish and flower well. Excellent for planting in dams or large ponds where it could form a nice clump. Gentle sweet fragrance.

AUD $22.00 each

Nymphaea 'Virginalis' (Hardy Water Lily) An attractive variety. White flowers with wide petals. Large round green leaves. Suitable for deep water or dam plantings.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Virginia' (Hardy Water Lily) Inner petals yellow and outer petals creamy white. Oval green leaves heavily speckled with purple.

Currently Not Available

Pink & Deep Rose Hardy Water Lilies

These pink/deep rose coloured water lilies are suitable for medium to larger ponds or even farm dams. They require a much larger water surface area for their leaf spread, hence, coverage is more when compared with small/miniature size water lilies. Growth tip of the plant could be submerged between 20cms to 40cms below the water surface. Any deeper than 40cms the plant may not flower or grow properly.

Nymphaea 'Amabilis' (Hardy Water Lily) Beautiful stellate shaped flowers with coconut-ice pink in colour deepening to soft rose with age. Large deep green leaves. A slower propagating cultivar.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Arc-en-Ciel' (Hardy Water Lily) A very unique hybrid with light pink starry flowers and unusual green leaves with randomly splashed/streaked with pink, cream and red. Lightly fragrant.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Caroliniana Perfecta' (Hardy Water Lily) Flowers light pink flowers deepening towards the centre. Medium green leaves.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Fabiola' (Hardy Water Lily) A large grower with beautiful rose pink flowers to white at petal tips. Round medium green leaves with wavy leaf edges. Sometimes sold under the name of "Mrs. Richmond" which is a much rarer cultivar.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Firecrest' (Hardy Water Lily) Attractive rich musky pink flowers with eye-catching orange-red stamens and rounded petals. Flowers are sweetly perfumed. Mid green leaves.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Formosa' (Hardy Water Lily) A classic old fashioned hybrid with light pink deepening at the centre and lighter pink to white on the outer petals. Medium green leaves.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Gloire de Temple-sur-Lot' (Hardy Water Lily) Beautiful shell pink very double chrysanthemum-like flowers fading to white with age. Round deep green leaves. Flowers only after it develops into a clump of plants.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Hollandia' (Hardy Water Lily) Huge stunning double flowers with inner petals pink and outer petals pinkish white. Flower colour deepens with age. Round dark green leaves. Sometimes mistakenly sold as the cultivar "Darwin" which clashes with another water lily cultivar.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'James Brydon' (Hardy Water Lily) Beautiful cup shaped deep reddish-pink flowers with apple-like fragrance. Purplish-dark green circular leaves occasionally splashed with purple.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Madame Wilfron Gonnere' (Hardy Water Lily) Double light pink flowers, richer pink towards the base of petals. Pea green leaves sometimes streaked with a yellow line in early Spring.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Marliacea Carnea'/'Morning Glory' (Hardy Water Lily) An old fashion hybrid with light flesh pink flowers with deeper pink sepals. Flowers are pleasantly fragrant. Deep green leaves. Also suitable for dam plantings.

AUD $25.00 each

Nymphaea 'Mayla' (Hardy Water Lily) Bright glowing deep fuchsia pink flowers. The blooms are double and very large in size. Huge deep green leaves initially purple.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Odalisque' (Hardy Water Lily) Attractive soft rose to shell pink flowers with long stamens. Flowers held well above water level. Medium to deep green leaves. Sweetly scented.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'odorata William B. Shaw' (Hardy Water Lily) Delicately beautiful rose pink flowers held well above water level with very sweet fragrance. Near round purplish leaves ageing to deep green. An old cultivar.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Perry's Pink' (Hardy Water Lily) Rich pink double flowers with a red dot at the centre of the flower. Deep green leaves.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Pink Sensation' (Hardy Water Lily) A fragrant and attractive water lily with medium pink star-like flowers which tends to open until late in the day. Large dark green leaves. A reliable grower.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Rose Arey' (Hardy Water Lily) Beautiful and starry deep rich pink flowers. Round green leaves initially purplish. Prefers climate with very cold winter to develop it's real deep colour.

AUD $20.00 each

Nymphaea 'Rosennymphe'/'Rose Nymph' (Hardy Water Lily) Elegant starry pink flowers that fades to almost white with age. This is the true form with dark green leaves and a very wide leaf sinus, almost heart shaped. There is a mislabelled deeper pink lily, sold under this name (in Australia).

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Somptuosa' (Hardy Water Lily) A classic water lily with beautiful semi-double strawberry pink cup shaped flowers. The colour deepens slightly with age. Petals are short & broad. Distinctive round olive green leaves with a few purple splashes. Compact in growth but also suitable for dam plantings.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Starbright' (Hardy Water Lily) Attractive pale peachy pink-white flowers with pink tones on outer petals. Deep green leaves with very dark chocolate brown splashes/blotches and black speckles. An import from Strawn Water Gardens, USA.

Currently Not Available

Red & Crimson Hardy Water Lilies

These red/crimson coloured water lilies are suitable for medium to larger ponds or even farm dams. They require a much larger water surface area for their leaf spread, hence, coverage is more when compared with small/miniature size water lilies. Growth tip of the plant could be submerged between 20cms to 40cms below the water surface. Any deeper than 40cms the plant may not flower or grow properly.

Nymphaea 'Andreana' (Hardy Water Lily) Unusual rusty-orange to brick red coloured flowers. Green leaves blotched with chocolate brown.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Attraction' (Hardy Water Lily) Attractive garnet red flowers. Bright green circular leaves with overlapping lobes.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Black Princess' (Hardy Water Lily) A very beautiful water lily with dark red to near black colour. The darkest colour ever achieved in hardy water lilies. Flowers are double and with up to 38 petals. Leaves are deep brown turning to dark green with age. A medium to large grower that requires to develop a colony before producing an abudance of flowers. Flower colour usually deepens after the plant establishes in the second season. A hybrid by Perry Slocum. Rare.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Charles de Meurville' (Hardy Water Lily) Beautiful red flowers tipped with white on outer petals. Large oval to near-round green leaves. Rare.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Conqueror' (Hardy Water Lily) Beautiful inner petals red blending to pink towards outer petals which are flecked white. Round medium green leaves initially deep bronze in colour.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Escarboucle'/'Aflame' (Hardy Water Lily) Bright vermilion red flowers opening cup shaped and becoming stellate shaped with age. A large grower with large round green leaves. The true form not the water lily "Vesuve" that is sometimes sold under this name in some nurseries.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Gloriosa'/'Glory' (Hardy Water Lily) An excellent & reliable bloomer. Classic old fashioned water lily with attractive deep eye-catching red flowers. Dark green leaves initially splashed purple. A reliable grower that adapts to both large & small ponds.

AUD $25.00 each

Nymphaea 'Laydekeri Fulgens' (Hardy Water Lily) Medium sized burgundy red cup-like shaped flowers. Green leaves initially bronzed and flecked with purplish-brown.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Lucida' (Hardy Water Lily) Beautiful starry red flowers. Large green leaves with purplish blotches and speckles.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Mrs. Richmond' (Hardy Water Lily) Beautiful broad petalled or rounded wide petals with inner petals pinkish-red deepening with age. The flowers are a more open cup shape. Large green leaves with slight wavy edges. The water lily cultivar "Fabiola" is sometimes sold under this name, but "Fabiola" is a much more commonly available hybrid. Rare.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Newton' (Hardy Water Lily) A classic hybrid. Attractive and unusual star-like flowers with long narrow red-pink petals. Flowers held high above the water level. Large green leaves. A very slow propagating cultivar. Rare.

AUD $35.00 each

Nymphaea 'Red Spider' (Hardy Water Lily) Interesting red flowers with narrow red petals where the petals rows are heavily crinkled. Green leaves with brown speckles.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Rembrandt' (Hardy Water Lily) Beautiful flowers opening pink deepening to bright currant red colour. Outer petals tipped with white. Round mid-green leaves. A large grower that is suited for deeper ponds. Sometimes mistakenly sold as the cultivar "Meteor" which clashes with another water lily cultivar of much deeper colour.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Steven Strawn' (Hardy Water Lily) Beautiful crimson red flowers. Green leaves initially freckled with purplish-brown fading to green with age.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Vesuve' (Hardy Water Lily) A beautiful hybrid with very dark red crimson flowers. Outer petals are sometimes slightly crinkled. Dark green leaves sometimes with wavy margins. Also suitable for dam plantings.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'William Falconer' (Hardy Water Lily) Very deep red flowers. Large deep green leaves tinted and splashed with purplish-red colour. Prefers the cooler summer to do well.

Currently Not Available

Yellow Hardy Water Lilies

These yellow coloured water lilies are suitable for medium to larger ponds or even farm dams. They require a much larger water surface area for their leaf spread, hence, coverage is more when compared with small/miniature size water lilies. Growth tip of the plant could be submerged between 20cms to 40cms below the water surface. Any deeper than 40cms the plant may not flower or grow properly.

Nymphaea 'Charlene Strawn' (Hardy Water Lily) Yellow flowers that opens flat like a plate on tall stems high above the water surface. Near-round green leaves speckled with purplish-brown.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Colonel A. J. Welch' (Hardy Water Lily) Bright yellow flowers. Green leaves initially speckled with purplish-brown. Produces an abundance of leaves that occasionally provides good coverage in ponds over winter in some climate. Great for dam plantings. Not as free flowering when compared to other yellow water lily cultivars. Usually grown for the novelty of the plant being viviparous.

AUD $20.00 each

Nymphaea 'Joey Tomocik' (Hardy Water Lily) A more recent release with very attractive bright yellow flowers with petals that has a wide base. Flower colour intensifies as the plant establishes in the pond. Leaves are mottled and splashed with chestnut brown colour. Lemon-like fragrance. Rare.

AUD $45.00 each

Nymphaea 'Marliacea Chromatella'/'Golden Cup' (Hardy Water Lily) Another old-fashioned hybrid. Beautiful canary yellow cup shaped flowers with rounded petals. Attractive marbled green leaves splashed/blotched brown. Lightly fragrant. Also suitable for tub plantings.

AUD $20.00 each

Nymphaea 'Moorei' (Hardy Water Lily) Medium yellow flowers. Green leaves with tiny reddish speckles. A hybrid from Adelaide Botanic Gardens, Australia.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Sunrise' (Hardy Water Lily) Large bright yellow flowers. The true form with egg-shaped green leaves speckled with maroon.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Texas Dawn' (Hardy Water Lily) One of our all time favourite yellow hardy water lily imports. Flowers extremely well under the southern Australian climate with it's performance surpassing those of other yellow cultivars available commercially to date. Can flower up to 6 blooms at one time. Spectacular light yellow flowers infused with rose pink at base of petals and streaked with rose pink on outer petals during mid-Summer to late Autumn. Flowers held high above water. Large fleshy green leaves speckled with purplish-maroon and blotched only on the upper half of the leaf. Leaf underside greenish-yellow and are highly flecked with deep purplish-maroon speckles. Slow to propagate, hence limited supply.

Currently Not Available

Bi-Colour & Changeable Hardy Water Lilies

These bi-coloured or changeable coloured water lilies are suitable for medium to larger ponds or even farm dams. They require a much larger water surface area for their leaf spread, hence, coverage is more when compared with small/miniature size water lilies. Growth tip of the plant could be submerged between 20cms to 40cms below the water surface. Any deeper than 40cms the plant may not flower or grow properly.

Nymphaea 'Barbara Dobbins' (Hardy Water Lily) Attractive peach apricot coloured flowers hinted with a pink glow. Green leaves splashed and speckled with brown. Slightly perfumed.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Colorado' (Hardy Water Lily) One of the best imports with very unusual deep salmon pink flowers blended with orange towards the centre. Round green leaves blotched with chocolate brown. Flower colour usually deepens after the plant establishes in the second season. In Sydney area, this lily retains it's foliage over Winter season. A highly sought after water lily.

AUD $35.00 each

Nymphaea 'Comanche' (Hardy Water Lily) An old favourite with beautiful creamy apricot flowers deepening to deep rusty red colour with age. Green leaves initially speckled with deep maroon.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'David' (Hardy Water Lily) Unusual star shaped flowers opening apricot-orange colour and deepening to bronze-red colour with age. Green leaves heavily speckled with chocolate brown. Formerly referred to as Orange Comanche.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Peaches and Cream' (Hardy Water Lily) A colourful hybrid by Perry Slocum. The flowers are layered with yellow towards the centre and pink towards the outer petals. Green leaves speckled and splashed with brown.

Currently Not Available

Nymphaea 'Sioux' (Hardy Water Lily) Beautiful star-like creamy apricot flowers deepening to apricot orange colour with age. Oval shaped green leaves speckled and mottled maroon.

Currently Not Available

Code explanations:
= Tolerant of cold temperate climate
= Tolerant of tropical climate
= Tolerant of temperate & sub-tropical climate
= Frost Sensitive - may not survive in climate subjected to frost
= Full Shade or Indirect Sunlight
= Full Sun
= Part Sun & Part Shade
= Small growing - Suitable for small size water gardens or tub style water features
= Medium growing - Suitable for medium size water gardens
= Large growing - Suitable for large size water gardens or naturalizing in dams
= Great as cut flowers
= Native to Australia