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Aquatic

Nymphaea odorata (H)

fragrant waterlily

A hardy, compact, free-flowering, deciduous, aquatic perennial which has small rounded dark-green leaves which are purple-bronze when they first appear. White, fragrant cup-shaped flowers with yellow centres appear from June through to September

Other common names

alligator bonnets
American sweet-scented water lily
see morepond lily
toad lily
water cabbage
water nymph

Synonyms

Nymphaea 'Odorata Alba'

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Plant nurseries
2 suppliers

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Clay

Loam

Moisture

Poorly–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–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: 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

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 50-60cm. See hardy waterlily cultivation for more advice

Propagation

Propagate by division of rhizomes or offsets in summer, place pots in shallow water until established. See pond plant propagation

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 crown rot, brown spot and water lily leaf spot

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