Nymphaea ‘Red Flare’ (Tropical Water Lily)

Nymphaea ‘Red Flare’ (Water Lily) is a night-blooming aquatic perennial boasting nearly round, mahogany leaves, up to 10-12 in. wide (25-30 cm), adorned with a few purple blotches. The leaves are heavily serrated and wavy. Floating on the surface of the water, they create a lovely backdrop for the profuse, round, deep magenta red flowers, 7-10 in. across (17-25 cm). Each slightly fragrant blossom lasts 3-4 days, opening at dusk and closing by noon the following day. Cold fall days or cloudy days can cause them to stay open longer. Blooming from summer into fall, Red Flare is very free-flowering, non-viviparous, and produces many flowers over a long season. This tropical nymphaea is suitable for any water garden. This is an old favorite, dating to 1938.

• Grows up to 12 in. tall (30 cm) and 4-6 ft. wide (120-180 cm).
• Water depth: 12-30 in. (30-75 cm).
• Performs best in full sun in undisturbed water. Needs protection from wind.
• Plant tubers in spring, with the crown slightly above the soil surface, after the water temperature has warmed to about 70ºF (20ºC). Feed every 2-3 weeks with a proprietary aquatic fertilizer.
• Deadhead and remove yellow leaves regularly.
• No serious pest or disease issues. 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.