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Aquatic

Nymphaea lotus (T/N)

Egyptian waterlily

A tropical, deciduous aquatic perennial with oval-shaped, green to reddish-brown leaves with purple spots. Fragrant, star-shaped white flowers with yellow centres appear from summer through until the autumn. Tropical waterlillies can be grown in milder areas within the UK but should be lifted and stored over winter in a warm greenhouse

Other common names

Egyptian lotus
Egyptian water lily
see moreEgyptian white lotus
Indian bean
Indian lotus
Indian water lily
sacred bean
sacred lotus
sacred water lily
white lotus of the Nile
Hungarian lotus
Hungarian waterlily

Synonyms

Nymphaea thermalis

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Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Clay

Loam

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

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: 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

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 15-25cm of water; as the plants establish gradually lower the plants to a depth of 50-70cm. Feed during the growing season with aquatic fertiliser at the manufacturer's recommended rate. Lift and store in a warm greenhouse over winter. See waterlily cultivation for more advice

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
Low Maintenance

Pruning

Deadhead and remove yellow leaves regularly

Pests

May be susceptible to brown china-mark moth, false leaf-mining midge, water lily beetle and water lily aphid. See waterlily pests for more details

Diseases

May be susceptible to brown spot, crown rot and water lily leaf spot

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