Nymphaea 'Betty Lou' (T)
A tropical, compact, free-flowering, deciduous, aquatic perennial which has dense, medium, rounded green leaves, pinkish brown on the undersides. Star-shaped flowers, purple-blue on the outer petals and paler on the inner with pink centers 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 Dwarf/small cultivars reach 30–60cm (1–2ft) wide, and need water 30–45cm (12–18in) deep Medium cultivars reach 60–120cm (2–4ft) wide, and need water 45–75cm (18–30in) deep Large cultivars reach up to 2.4m (8ft) wide, and need water 75–120cm (30in–4ft) deep For a suitable planting depth in your pond, please follow the plant label guidelines
Size
Time to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
1–1.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Poorly–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green Pink Brown | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Purple Blue Pink | Green Pink Brown | ||
| Autumn | Purple Blue Pink | Green Pink Brown | ||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H2Botanical 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
Accepted
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. May need to lift and store
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
Get involved
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