Giant Watering Lily

Many water gardeners consider Nymphaea gigantea, the Australian water lily, by far the most outstanding species that has been grown at places like the Missouri Botanical Garden, and especially the white form, alba, is particularly splendid. It is definitely an outstanding water-lily for the southern states.

The type is pale to dark blue, bearing large, peony-shaped flowers. In Australia, it is known as the “Queensland Water-lily.”

Nymphaea gigantea alba is pure white, fragrant, 10 to 12 inches in diameter, opening for four to six days, closing only the first night, and is peony-shaped. The flower is supported by a light green stem 2 feet above the water. When open, the petals number from 17 to 20, in 3 whorls. It has about 600 to 800 stamens. Leaves are pea green, round, one foot or more in diameter, with slightly wavy, short-toothed margins.

Both the type and the form alba readily produce seeds. When the white is raised from seeds it suggests that it is not a fixed white, because some of the seedlings will throw colored flowers. Therefore, to carry pure white from year , to year it must be propagated by tubers from the same clone. One variety raised opening with pale blue flowers the first day, later bleaching to white.

St. Louis seems to be the northern limit for growing Nymphaea gigantea outside. Friends have had no trouble growing the blue form during the winter, but when planted outside, invariably it will “go to sleep.” The white form, however, seems to be easier to cultivate and does not tend to “go to sleep” when planted out. Plants may be propagated in the same way as the African varieties.

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