Nymphaea tetragona - Water Lily

Nymphaea tetragona, also known as White Water Lily, is the smallest of water lilies, making it perfect for small ponds, containers, and barrels on the terrace. It bears semi-double star-shaped, white flowers with yellow-orange stamens, 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3in) in diameter. The dark olive green leaves with purple spots are also precious. A jewel to admire up close.

The dwarf white water lily belongs to the Nymphaeceae family, and its distribution range covers a large part of the Northern Hemisphere: northern Europe (Finland, western Russia), temperate to tropical Asia (India, China, Japan, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Korea, Vietnam) and northern North America (northwestern United States, Alaska, central and western Canada). It is grows abundantly in calm waters (lakes, ponds, pools, marshes, streams) at shallow depths. It is a perennial aquatic plant with a vertical, unbranched, non-stoloniferous rhizome. The floating leaves are oval to elliptical (length: 3-13 cm (1-5in), width: 2-11 cm (1-4in)), with a purplish underside, heart-shaped at the base, with parallel basal lobes, entire margins, and smooth petioles. The solitary and floating flowers, with a diameter of 3 to 8 cm (1 to 3in), open during the day and are sometimes fragrant. They consist of 4 green, oval to lanceolate sepals, 2 to 3.5 cm (1in) long, with 10-17, lanceolate to oblong, white petals and 30 to 70 yellow-orange stamens. Flowering is followed by fruits containing numerous seeds which ripen underwater and release floating seeds that will eventually sink and germinate in the mud.

Choose easy and floriferous varieties that are proportionate to your pond. With their spectacular and diverse flowers, Water Lilies will be the main attraction in your pond. Most of them bloom from spring until early autumn. Water lilies are essential for maintaining a balanced garden pond, as they contribute to the oxygenation of the water. Their leaves will provide shade and shelter for your fish, who, in return, will protect them from predatory insects such as aphids.

The genus name comes from the Greek nymphaia and the Latin name nymphaea, which means "water lily". They were inspired by the nymphs of Greek and Latin mythology. Nymphaea flowers are occasionally fragrant and sometimes open during the day, sometimes at night.