Nymphaea candida

Nymphaea candida, also known as Shining Water Lily, is a small botanical water lily also called Bohemian Water Lily. This Eurasian wild species is hardy and produces elegant white flowers in their simplicity, although they are of medium size. The plant is very floriferous and prefers fresh water. Its modest growth is perfectly suited to small ponds, basins, containers, and barrels on the terrace. Plant its rhizome 20 to 50cm below the surface, in the sun.

Nymphaea candida, sometimes called the "boreal white water lily," belongs to the family Nymphaeaceae, like all water lilies. Its distribution range covers a large part of Eurasia. It is found in calm waters (lakes, ponds, pools, marshes, streams), and shallow waters. It is an aquatic perennial with a stoloniferous and unbranched rhizome. Its growth is quite slow, spreading over 80cm to just over 1m in the long run. The leaves are well gathered near the base, measuring 9 to 19cm in diameter. They are floating or submerged, round, split, strongly veined when ripe. The young leaves are spotted with purple, then they turn green. The solitary flowers, slightly emergent, measure between 10 and 12cm in diameter. Each one is composed of 4 sepals and 12 to 24 white oval and pointed petals, with those on the outside being shorter than those towards the centre of the corolla. The centre is occupied by 30 to 70 yellow-orange stamens. The flowering is renewed from June to August. The flowers open during the day, in the sun, and close in the evening. The flowering is followed by the formation of fruits containing numerous seeds. The fruit ripens underwater and releases floating seeds that will eventually sink and germinate in the mud.

Choose easy and floriferous varieties, especially those that are proportionate to your pond. With their perfectly shaped flowers, Water Lilies are among the most beautiful perennial pond plants. Most of them bloom for long weeks, until early autumn. The water lily is an essential aquatic plant for the proper balance of a garden pond, as it contributes to the oxygenation of the water. Its leaves floating on the water's surface will provide shade and shelter for your fish, which 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 bears flowers that are sometimes diurnal, sometimes nocturnal, and occasionally fragrant.