Nymphaea ‘Marliacea Chromatella’ (Hardy Water Lily)

Nymphaea ‘Marliacea Chromatella’ (Water Lily) is a day-blooming aquatic perennial boasting olive green leaves, up to 8 in. wide (20 cm), with purple markings. Floating on the surface of the water, they create a lovely backdrop for the pale yellow flowers. Each goblet-shaped blossom, up to 4-6 in. across (10-15 cm), features several rows of pointed petals (7-20) surrounding a conspicuous bouquet of orange stamens. Blooming from early summer to early fall, Marliacea Chromatella is free-flowering and produces many flowers over a long season. Shade tolerant, it needs only 3-4 hours of sunlight to bloom. Use in tubs or any size water garden. Marliacea Chromatella is a hardy nymphaea.

• Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
• Grows up to 4 in. tall (10 cm) and 3-5 ft. wide (90-150 cm).
• Depth of water: 6-48 in. (15-120 cm).
• Performs best in full sun to part shade in loamy soil in undisturbed water. Plant in a basket with the crown just below the soil surface and covered with pea shingle. Feed during the growing season with a proprietary aquatic fertilizer.
• Deadhead and remove yellow leaves regularly.
• Keep an eye out for water-lily beetle, water lily aphid, brown china-mark moth, false leaf-mining midge, crown rot, brown spot and water lily leaf spot.
• Propagate by division of rhizomes or offsets in summer, place pots in shallow water until established.