Nymphaea Amabilis (Pink Marvel)

Nymphaea 'Amabilis' is a nearly century-old French creation, still prized for its vigour and the freshness of its flowering. The plant offers large flowers that open in the manner of certain tulips, in shades of pink, with a pleasant fragrance. They bloom for several months, standing among round, green, widely open, well-proportioned floating leaves. This large water lily is suitable for medium to large bodies of water, its rhizome should be planted under 40cm to 1m of water.

Nymphaea 'Amabilis' is sometimes marketed under the name Nymphaea 'Pink Marvel'. It is a horticultural creation by Latour-Marliac dating back to 1921. It is classified among the varieties with large growth.

The 'Amabilis' water lily is an aquatic perennial with deciduous foliage that belongs to the Nymphaeaceae family. This plant develops numerous floating leaves measuring 15 to 25cm in diameter in mature plants, starting from spring. The leaves are round and have a wide sinus. They are initially a blood-red colour with a hint of violet when they emerge, then they turn dark green. The plant will reach 25cm in height when flowering and spread over 1m to 1.50m. The abundant flowering usually begins in June and continues until late summer. The flowers measure 16 to 19cm in diameter, and rise a few centimeters above the surface on top of a bronze-coloured peduncle. They have four bronze-green sepals on the outside, flesh-white on the inside. The petals open in a tulip shape, transitioning from flesh-white to pink and then to bright red on the outside, with the centre of the flower becoming dark pink. Thread-like stamens in the centre of the corolla evolve from orange-yellow to canary yellow towards the end of flowering. These corollas open during the day and close in the late afternoon. Each flower lives for 4 to 6 days before wilting, then it returns underwater and is replaced by another flower. The flowering is followed by the formation of 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, ones that are proportionate to your pond. With their perfectly shaped flowers, Nymphaeas 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 maintaining the balance of a garden pond, as it contributes to the oxygenation of the water. Its leaves floating on the water's surface provide shade and shelter for your fish, which in turn protect them from predatory insects like aphids.

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