Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Nymphaea alba (H)
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

white waterlily

A vigorous aquatic perennial with rounded dark green leaves, often red-green beneath, to 30cm across, and cup-shaped, lightly scented white flowers 20cm wide, with prominent yellow stamens, becoming star-shaped with maturity are produced in summer

Other common names
bobbins
cambie leaf
see morecan dock
common water lily
European white lily
flutterdock
platter dock
Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
Up to 10cm
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
1–1.5 metres
Growing conditions
Clay
Loam
Moisture
Poorly–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer White Green
Autumn
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H5
Botanical details
Family
Nymphaeaceae
Native to the UK
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
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 15-25 cm of water, as the plants establish lower the plants 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

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 affected by crown rot, brown spot and water lily leaf spot

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.