Nymphaea Odorata Suavissima - Waterlily

Nymphaea 'Odorata Suavissima' is a splendid, hardy pink water lily. It is highly fragrant, with a beautiful, fresh pink colour, and very floriferous throughout the summer. Its double flowers with waxy petals exude a fragrance reminiscent of almonds. They stand slightly above the water among large leaves of a beautiful, shiny, dark green. This variety is suitable for medium-sized ponds; its rhizome should be planted under 20 to 60 cm of water.

The Nymphaea 'Odorata Suavissima' is a horticultural creation by Latour-Marliac (France) before 1920. It carries the genes of the Nymphaea odorata, a North American species known for its fragrance. It is a perennial aquatic rhizomatous plant with deciduous foliage from the Nymphaeaceae family. This water lily develops from spring, large floating leaves measuring 12 to 15 cm in diameter on a mature plant. These round leaves, deeply split almost to the centre, emerge coloured reddish-brown and then turn dark green. Their undersides are purplish-violet. Depending on available space, the plant spreads over 90 cm to 1.20 m. The generous flowering begins in June and lasts until September. The large flowers, measuring 10 to 12 cm in diameter, are solitary and borne at the end of a short stem above the surface. They open in the morning and close in the evening. They have a pronounced fragrance and attract many pollinators. The flowering is followed by the formation of fruits containing numerous seeds. The fruit ripens underwater and releases floating seeds that eventually sink and germinate in the mud. Water lilies are hardy as long as their rhizome does not freeze in winter. It is essential to ensure that the water does not freeze at the depth where they are planted.

Choose varieties of water lilies that are easy, hardy, and floriferous, and above all, ones that are proportionate to your pond. Water lilies are among the most beautiful pond plants with their perfectly shaped flowers. Most of them bloom for long weeks until early autumn. Water lilies are essential aquatic plants for maintaining the balance of a garden pond, as they contribute to the oxygenation of the water. Their leaves floating on the water's surface provide shade and shelter for your fish, protecting them from predatory insects like aphids.

The genus name comes from the Greek nymphaia and the Latin name nymphaea, which means "water lily". The nymphs of Greek and Latin mythology inspired them. Nymphaea produces flowers that are sometimes diurnal, nocturnal, and occasionally fragrant.