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Aquatic

Nuphar japonica

Japanese pond lily

A bottom-rooting aquatic perennial with ovate or heart-shaped, floating leaves and 4-5cm in width, globose yellow flowers, often tinged with red, in summer

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Ultimate height

Up to 10cm

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Poorly–drained

pH

Acid

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–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)

Botanical details

Family: Nymphaeaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Submerged, Floating
Genus: Nuphar are deciduous submerged aquatic perennials with ovate or rounded floating leaves and solitary, globose flowers held just above the water surface
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in water up to 2m deep in acid soil providing a free root-run. Divide frequently for optimum flower production. See pond plants for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Low Maintenance

Pruning

Cut back after flowering

Pests

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

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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