Water Lily 

(nymphaea)

What are on offer in these listings are Water Lily's fresh, reliable and viable seeds.

Germinate in Day Light Savings Summer for best results.

Due to quarantine restrictions we do not post to TAS or WA

Nymphaea is an aquatic flowering plant of the water lily family Nymphaeaceae. Nymphaea is native to South Africa Madagascar and is also known as Nymphaea Nouchali var.Caerulea, N.Calliantha, N.Mildbraedii, N.Spectabilis, Waterlily.  It is found growing abundantly in freshwater habitats in South Africa and neighboring countries and as an introduced species in Australia.  This plant's bulb can survive relatively long periods of time without rainfall in a dry riverbed.  During the rainy season, as the riverbed or bog fills up, the bulb will sprout leaves and flowers.  The Cape blue water lily grows best in full sun to semi-sun and in relatively shallow water. 

The plant is attractive and has been introduced to home based aquatic habitats for ornamental purposes.  Nymphaea (water lily) is a genus of hardy and tender aquatic plants in the family Nymphaeaceae. There are about 50 species in the genus, which has a cosmopolitan distribution. The name Nymphaea comes from the Greek term "Νυμφαία", possibly related to "Νύμφη" meaning "nymph".  The nymphs in Greek mythology were supernatural feminine beings associated with springs, so the application of the name to delicately flowered aquatic plants is understandable.  Despite its common name "water lily" (waterlily), Nymphaea is not related to the true lily, Lilium.

 Description:

The main plant is submerged, with large floating, plate-like leaves and showy flowers in many different colours produced in spring.  The fruits, containing seeds, are produced in the autumn, and are also submerged.  The leaves have a radial notch from the circumference to the petiole (leaf stem) in the centre.

Nymphaea is not related to the Chinese and Indian lotus of genus Nelumbo.  Nevertheless, it is closely related to Nuphar, another genus commonly called "lotus".  In Nymphaea, the flower petals are much larger than the sepals, whereas in Nuphar the petals are much smaller than its sepals.  The fruit maturation also differs, with Nymphaea fruit sinking below the water level immediately after the flower closes, whereas Nuphar fruit are held above water level to maturity.

The plant has thick rhizomes and long, spongy creeping stolons, which bear, bunches of small yellow roots that resemble miniature bananas.  The large, flat leaves are green with purple or brown patterning, and float on the surface of the water.  The floating lotus type flowers have yellow petals and pointed star like, purple sepals.  The flowers close at night.  The plant flowers during the summer, and also during spring in warmer areas.  Seeds are contained in green berries, which grow underwater.  It grows in marshes and readily invades canals and other shallow waterways, sometimes becoming a nuisance.  Care needs to be taken that this beautiful species remains in your home aquatic garden and do not get released into our native habitats.

Each leaf of the waterlily lasts about 6 weeks before turning yellow.  This is normal and should not be cause for concern.  Flower showiness is legendary, and each flower lasts several days, but flowers close in late afternoon and at night.  Fragrant waterlily grows in standing water about 40cm deep and spreads by means of rhizomes.  It can be prevented from spreading by planting it in a container without drainage holes and submerging the container into the water garden.  This helps prevent the plant from invading the entire water garden.  Although waterlilies require full sun for best flowering, this one will produce some flowers with only 4 hours of direct sun.

Flowers can be cut and floated in water as decoration; the flowers attract butterflies to your garden.

 Cultural significance:

This species of Waterlily opens its flowers in the morning and then sinks beneath the water at dusk, while the Egyptian White Water-lily, N. lotus, flowers at night and closes in the morning.  This symbolizes the Egyptian separation of deities and is a motif associated with Egyptian beliefs concerning death and the afterlife.  The recent discovery of psychedelic properties of the blue lotus may also have been known to the Egyptians and explain its ceremonial role.  Remains of both flowers have been found in the burial tomb of Ramesses II.  In Roman culture, there was a belief that drinking a liquid of Nymphaea pounded to a paste and drunk in vinegar for ten consecutive days turned a boy into a eunuch.

A Syrian terra-cotta plaque from the 14th-13th century B.C.E. shows the goddess Asherah holding two lotus blossoms.  An ivory panel from the 9th-8th century B.C.E. shows the god Horus seated on a lotus blossom, flanked by two Cherubs.

The French painter Claude Monet is famous for his paintings of water lilies.

 Cultivation:

Waterlilies are not only highly decorative but provide useful shade which helps reduce the growth of algae in ponds and lakes.  Many of the waterlilies have a fast growth rate and multiply in your water feature easily.  The water lily is drought tolerant and can survive in dams that run dry in drought conditions. 

Though seeds can be sprouted in warm water and potted individually, some prefer to plant them before they sprout.  The number of seeds determines container size, everything from small pots to dish pans to small ponds.  Distribute a layer of soil in the bottom, add water to the brim, level and compact the soil once it has settled from filling with water.  Then distribute the seeds as evenly as possible over the soil and drizzle a thin layer of river sand through the water over the seeds.  This helps to anchor them and to see them as they sprout.  Adding water after putting the seeds are put in can dislodge them, as can placing the container in a pond.

When seedlings have made several floating leaves in smaller containers, carefully dig them up and pot them individually.  In small ponds designed for seedlings let plants grow to blooming stage and then remove them, either to propagate or discard, making more space for still developing seedlings.

Hardy developed waterlilies should be planted in a container filled with garden soil or potting mix.  A shallow and wide container is better than a tall, narrow container.  The garden soil can be mixed with one-fifth well-decomposed cow manure.  Incorporate fertilizer at an equivalent rate of about 30ml per litre of soil or media to help stimulate growth.  Before filling the container, place a small plastic bag filled with sand at the bottom to keep it from floating in the pond.  Plant the seeds at about 2mm from top.  Lower the container under 15cm of water until growth begins.  Then it can be set so the bottom is no more than 45cm below the surface.  If the water is too deep, place a brick or concrete block under the container.  Do not construct containers from treated lumber since growth could be severely inhibited.  The only maintenance required is monthly application of a slow-release organic fertiliser.  

Flowering Season - Late spring- mid-summer.

Plant Size - 40- 50cm wide.

Planting Density - 50- 70 cm apart.

Preferred Aspect - Full sun in water at least 45cm deep.

Plant Uses - For ponds, dams or any water feature.

Likes - Plenty of sunshine.  Manure in soil at planting time.  Re-potting in 3 years.

Watering - Must be grown in water depth of at least 45cm and will grow in water up to 1.8m deep.

Fertilising - Add blood and bone or complete fertiliser to potting mix before planting.

Lifting and Storing - Lift and divide the plants every three or four years, re-pot and re-fertilise.

Pests - None.

Growing Tips:

Plant the tubers lying flat in a tub, pot or low bucket that is filled with soil that has had a couple of handfuls of blood and bone or some complete fertiliser mixed through.  Water Lilies will tolerate some shade for part of the day, but best flowering requires at least 5 hours of sun.  Water Lilies are compatible with fish in ponds.

Other Uses:

Water lilies have several edible parts.  The young leaves and unopened flower buds can be boiled and served as a vegetable.  The seeds, high in starch, protein, and oil, may be popped, parched, or ground into flour.  

Growing by Olde Traditional Methods:

Planting by the moon is an idea as old as agriculture itself, it is a practice based both in folklore and old wise tales, but there are clear scientific concepts to back it up.  Planting by the Moon, the age-old practice of completing farming customs by the phases of the Moon stems from the simple belief that the Moon governs moisture.  Pliny the Elder, the first-century Roman naturalist, stated in his Natural History that the Moon "replenishes the earth; when she approaches it, she fills all bodies, while, when she recedes, she empties them."

The Earth is in a large gravitational field, influenced by both the sun and moon.  The tides are highest at the time of the new and the full moon, when sun and moon are lined up with earth.  Just as the moon pulls the tides in the oceans, it also pulls upon the more subtle bodies of water, causing moisture to rise in the earth, which encourages growth.  The highest amount of moisture is in the soil at this time, and tests have proven that seeds will absorb the most water at the time of the full moon.

Olde Worlde Gardens does offer the much esteemed Astrological Calendar & Moon Planting Guide, produced by admired astrologist Thomas Zimmer.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Seeds cannot be mailed to

Western Australia or Tasmania

Our Vision

Empowering Communities of Gardeners

to Grow for Themselves consequently

contributing to Local Sustainability

We are pleased you are visiting our shop where we are happy to provide access to affordable open pollinated, beautiful and edible plants and seeds.  Providing you with quality seeds & plants to nurture nature in ourselves. 

We believe that one of the fundamental strategies to support improved health and better life experiences is to encourage renewal through the joy of gardening, to labour outdoors, under the sky, then to be rewarded with high quality fresh food, beautiful colourful gardens, improved lifestyle and a bountiful harvest for your labours.  Positive work in the 'out-of-doors' helps keep our bodies fit, frees our minds, helps us sleep well at night, promotes happiness & serves to re-connect us to the cycles of Nature.

Our family are grateful to be able to offer you, our neighbour, fresh, reliable and viable seeds.  To achieve success in this undertaking, we rely on your goodwill, you being our virtual neighbours, and we do endeavour to meet the challenge of being a good and reliable neighbour to you, our purchasing partners.

Olde Worlde Gardens, continuously clean and test our home-grown organically nurtured seed in batches, as described in the 'seed savers handbook' and we always endeavour to provide you with fresh reliable and viable seeds that are then packaged by hand and posted within 2 days from date of payment.  Because we realise for buyers, all that matters is quality, as such we aim to achieve both, quality of product and quality of service.

Our seed growing and testing is principally completed on our smallholding in the sub-tropical hinterland in the caldera of Mt Wollumbin (previously Mt Warning.) in the far northern coast of NSW.  We believe ourselves to be very fortunate in being able to nurture gardens in the garden of the gods. 

We will provide all purchases with detailed information & growing sheet, giving growing information as well as the crucial nuances of each plant however, we are aware that no words or photographs will substitute for the lessons learned in the garden.

However, while we guarantee our seeds come from plants that have been organically nurtured and provided each season as fresh, reliable and viable seed, but even after all care & testing we cannot guarantee individual results.  Sorry, but there are just too many variables in gardening all of which impact upon individual germination results, so please do not ask for a refund, replacement or to return unused seed.  We always recommend that if you are new to gardening, or to a particular type of plant or variety, that you grow just a few at first to test your germination method.  However, if you feel there is a problem with your order, please let us know right away, and we’ll make any fair arrangements to rectify any problem.

Once you receive the seeds please soak them in water before you plant them, as a general rule 4-8 hours is good, this will help germination time and rate.  Plant seeds at recommended depth in a pot or directly into well-drained soil, water every day, keep moist but not wet.  Do not let them dry.  Plant images and descriptions should only be used as a guide as they are a living and unique life form, variations will occur from plant to plant.