Nymphaea Darwin

The Nymphaea 'Darwin' is a hardy water lily that develops lush foliage and offers very pretty double flowers, pink and pleasantly fragrant. Flowers that rise slightly above the surface, among large round leaves, with a variable appearance. This vigorously growing variety is suitable for medium to large bodies of water. It is a prolific water lily, with beautiful peony-like flowers, but moderately floriferous.

The hybrid Nymphaea 'Darwin' is a horticultural creation by Latour-Marliac dating back to 1909. It is a aquatic perennial with deciduous foliage that belongs to the Nymphaeaceae family. This plant develops numerous floating leaves measuring 15 to 20 cm in diameter in mature plants, starting from spring. The leaves are round and their sinus is either open two-thirds, completely open, or closed. Some have overlapping lobes. When young, they are brownish and gradually turn dark green. Their hairy petioles are purple underwater and green above. The plant, very vigorous, spreads rapidly up to 1.20 m. Flowering begins in June and continues until late summer. The very double flowers measure 12 cm in diameter and open at the top of a short stem that barely emerges from the water. They are described as follows in Latour-Marliac's 1922 catalog: "Large, very double, fragrant flower, wine-pink, sanded with white, punctate and flamed with dark red; white sepals, striated with bright red; dark orange stamens." They open during the day and close in the evening. Each flower lives for 4 to 5 days before wilting, returning underwater, and being replaced by another flower. 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 installed.

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 pond plants. Most of them bloom for weeks, until early autumn. Water lilies are essential aquatic plants for maintaining the balance of a garden pond, as they contribute to water oxygenation. Their leaves floating on the water's surface will provide shade and shelter for your fish, which in turn will 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". They were inspired by the nymphs of Greek and Latin mythology. Nymphaea produces flowers that are sometimes diurnal, sometimes nocturnal, and occasionally fragrant.