Mark A. Miller
Family
Nymphaeaceae
Botanical Name
NYMPHAEA 'Aquarius'
Plant Common Name
Aquarius Waterlily, Tropical Day-blooming Waterlily
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
The day-blooming tropical waterlily ‘Aquarius’ is a very free-flowering hybrid cultivar with deep violet-blue, somewhat crumpled petals. These lightly fragranced, large and full, star-shaped flowers are held above the water surface and begin to close in the early evening around sunset. The pollen-carrying anthers in the flower's center are chocolate brown with purple tips. This waterlily has oval, dark green floating leaves with occasional purple mottling. Leaf undersides are deep green with very prominent veins. They are supported by flexible bronze-green stems that arise from a rhizome growing in mucky soil below.
Tropical waterlilies require full sun and sites with calm, shallow, very warm freshwater. Tender tropical cultivars, like ‘Aquarius’, should be in water that is warmer than 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius). When water temperatures drop below this point, the plant will slowly enter a dormancy by first stopping flowering, then reducing growth dramatically and eventually death if in cold water for an extended period. In late spring or summer, when water is warm, plant the rhizome directly in heavy, mucky soil or in a large submerged container filled with dense loam or clay-rich garden soil (not light potting mix). If growing tropical waterlilies in climates with very cold winters, ensure that the plant is removed from the pool before expected chilly autumn nights. In these cases plants must be grown in submerged watertight pots that can be pulled out and placed in a sunny, bright, indoor room to overwinter. This tropical cultivar is a great choice for a medium to large freshwater pool.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
12 - 7
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USDA Hardiness Zone
10 - 15
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Plant Type
Aquatics
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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Width
6'-7' / 1.8m - 2.1m
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Bloom Time
Indeterminate
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Native To
World/Pandemic
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Neutral
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Soil Drainage
Poorly Drained
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Soil type
Clay, Loam, Sand
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Tolerances
Wet Site
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Growth Rate
Fast
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Water Requirements
Ample Water
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Seasonal Interest
Summer, Fall
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
White, Yellow, Red, Orange, Pink, Magenta, Fuchsia, Coral, Peach, Blue Violet, Ivory
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Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Spring) Modifier
Spotted/Mottled
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Summer) Modifier
Spotted/Mottled
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Fall) Modifier
Spotted/Mottled
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Winter) Modifier
SpottedMottled
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Fragrant Flowers
Yes
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
Yes
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Coarse
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Foliage Sheen
Glossy
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Evergreen
Semi-Evergreen
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Usage
Water Gardens
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
No
