Nymphaea Lily Pons - Waterlily

The Nymphaea 'Lily Pons' is a hardy water lily variety recognizable by its large peony-like flowers in a soft and fresh pink that make a big impact in an aquatic garden. It is a hybrid with a significant growth habit, with leaves proportionate to the size of the flowers and a bronzed olive-green colour that highlights them nicely. This variety is suitable for medium to large ponds, with rhizomes planted at 40 cm to 1 m depth.

The 'Lily Pons' Water Lily is a horticultural creation by Perry Dean Slocum (North Carolina, USA) dating back to 1992. Emblematic of the "Lilypons Water Garden" in Maryland, this hybrid is possibly derived from the Nymphaea 'Perry's Fire Opal' and 'Gloire du Temple-sur-Lot'. It is an aquatic perennial with deciduous foliage that belongs to the Nymphaeaceae family. Starting from spring, this plant develops numerous floating leaves measuring 15 to 20 cm in diameter in mature plants. The leaves are rounded, and their sinus is more or less open or closed. Their colour is bronzed olive green. The plant, of medium vigour, spreads on average to 1.25 m. The moderately abundant flowering usually begins in June and continues until September. The double, round flowers have up to 100 petals and measure between 14 and 16 cm in diameter. Their centre is adorned with bright yellow stamens that warm up the pink of the petals. They float on the water's surface. 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 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, floriferous, and, above all, proportionate to your pond size. 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 for maintaining a balanced garden pond and contribute to water oxygenation. Their floating leaves 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.