Nymphaea Carolina Sunset

Nymphaea 'Carolina Sunset' is a hardy water lily variety sought after for its vigour and its round, double flowers in shades of yellow and peach, animated with a coppery glow. This hybrid has significant growth and its flowering is exceptionally bright and fragrant, making a quick impact. It is a water lily suitable for medium to large bodies of water, with its rhizome planted under 40cm to 1m of water.

Nymphaea 'Carolina Sunset' is a creation by Perry Dean Slocum (U.S.A) dating back to 1996. It is a aquatic perennial with deciduous foliage from the Nymphaeaceae family. This plant develops numerous floating leaves measuring 16 to 20cm in diameter starting from spring. They are almost round and their sinus is normally open two-thirds, sometimes completely open or almost closed. The young leaves are strongly marbled with reddish-brown, then they become greener as they unfold. Their undersides are speckled with rosy violet. The plant, of beautiful stature, spreads over 1m to 1.50m. Flowering generally begins in June and continues until late summer, depending on the climate. The double flowers, 14cm in diameter, are solitary and float on the water's surface. The petals are dark yellow to light yellow, with coppery shades near the golden stamens. On the periphery, the sepals are pale green with tips of a darker green. These corollas open during the day and close in the evening. Each flower lives for 4 to 5 days before wilting, it returns underwater and is replaced by another flower. 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. Water lilies are hardy as long as their rhizome does not freeze in winter. It is important to ensure that the water does not freeze at the depth where they are planted.

Choose easy, hardy, and floriferous varieties of water lilies, especially those that are proportionate to your pond. With their perfectly shaped flowers, Nymphaeas are among the most beautiful perennial pond plants. 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 water oxygenation. Their leaves floating on the water's surface provide shade and shelter for your fish, which in turn protect them from predatory insects like 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 produces flowers that are sometimes diurnal, sometimes nocturnal, and occasionally fragrant.