Nymphaea (Water Lily) is a genus of about 50 species of herbaceous aquatic perennials found worldwide that are grown for their incredibly pretty flowers.

Winter-hardy water lilies are usually day-flowering and have flowers that float on the water.

Tropical water lilies can be either day-flowering or night-flowering and generally hold their flowers well above the water.

Most water lilies typically need a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight in order to produce their spectacular blooms. However, some will flower in part shade with between 4-6 hours of sunlight daily. None grow in deep shade with less than 3 hours of sunlight each day.