Nymphaea Yellow Queen - Waterlily

Nymphaea 'Yellow Queen' can spread up to 1.5m in width. This hardy water lily is perfect for medium to large-sized water features. From May to September, large yellow star-shaped flowers measuring 15 to 20cm in diameter and slightly fragrant, rise a few centimetres above the water. Its wide rounded leaves are green with violet spots. This hardy aquatic plant should be planted in full sun, submerged 40 to 100cm in water, directly in the soil, in a basket, or mud. Make sure the water does not freeze at this depth during winter.

The Nymphaea hybrid 'Yellow Queen' is a horticultural creation by Perry Dean Slocum (USA) dating back to 1991. It is a perennial aquatic plant of the Nymphaeaceae family with deciduous foliage. Its wide floating leaves appear in spring and can reach 20 to 30cm in diameter. They are rounded and split, green with red-violet spots. The plant is particularly vigorous and grows up to 20cm high when flowering and 90cm to 1.50m wide. Flowering usually starts in May and continues until September. The flowers rise a few centimetres above the water level. They are star-shaped, 15 to 20cm in diameter and slightly fragrant. The long and slender petals curl at their tips, like tropical water lilies. The corollas open during the day and close at night. The flowers are bright yellow, revealing a golden yellow stamen. Each flower lasts 4 to 5 days before fading and being replaced by a new one.

This water lily is perfect for a medium-sized pond. It is hardy as long as its rhizome and the surrounding water do not freeze in winter. It blooms for long weeks, from late spring to early autumn, even though its flowering is not the most abundant among hardy water lilies. It is also an oxygenating aquatic plant that plays a crucial role in the health of your water feature. Its floating leaves provide shade and shelter for fish. Dragonflies and amphibians can easily land on them. On the banks of your water feature, the yellow flowers of your Nymphaea will blend beautifully with the blue flowers of Japanese Iris 'Activity' or 'Illumination'. Add some height to your composition with Typha angustifolia or narrow leaf cattail.