Nymphaea Gypsy - Waterlily

Nymphaea 'Gypsy' is a small, hardy water lily, well-coloured, with small red to pink flowers and foliage heavily spotted with purple-brown. Its flowering is moderately abundant, but it renews itself throughout the summer. This variety is suitable for ornamental small garden ponds and terraces or balconies in basins, barrels, and tubs. Its rhizome should be planted 20 to 40 cm below the surface.

Nymphaea 'Gypsy' is a horticultural creation by Strawn dating back to 1997. It is an aquatic perennial with deciduous foliage that belongs to the Nymphaeaceae family. This plant develops numerous floating leaves measuring 8 to 10 cm in diameter in a mature plant starting from spring. The leaves are slightly ovate and the 2 lobes slightly overlap. When young, they are purple-brown, then gradually turn olive green with beautiful purple-brown spots. The plant spreads to about 75 cm. Flowering usually begins in June and continues until September-October, depending on the climate. The cup-shaped flowers measure 6 cm in diameter and float on the water's surface. They are red tending towards pink with a bright yellow centre. These corollas open during the day and close in the evening. Each flower lives for 4 to 5 days before wilting, it sinks underwater and is replaced by another flower. Flowering is followed by fruits containing numerous seeds. The fruit ripens underwater and releases floating seeds that will eventually sink and germinate in the mud. Water lilies are hardy as long as their rhizome does not freeze in winter. It is important to ensure that the water does not freeze at the depth where they are planted.

Choose varieties of water lilies that are easy, hardy, and floriferous, and above all, those that have a size proportionate to your pond. With their perfectly shaped flowers, Water Lilies are among the most beautiful perennial pond plants. Most of them bloom for long weeks, until the beginning of autumn. The water lily is an essential aquatic plant for the proper balance of a garden pond, as it contributes to the oxygenation of the water. Its leaves floating on the water's surface will provide shade and shelter for your fish, which in return protect them from predatory insects such as aphids.

The genus name comes from the Greek nymphaia and the Latin name nymphaea, which means "water lily", inspired by the nymphs of Greek and Latin mythology. Nymphaea bears flowers that are sometimes diurnal, sometimes nocturnal, and occasionally fragrant.