Nymphaea Eros

The Nymphaea 'Eros' is a hardy water lily with a beautiful deep pink colour, modest size, but highly floriferous and easy to grow. Its flowers have a perfect shape and their dark pink colour reveals rich mauve reflections in the evening. They float on the water, among beautiful round and green leaves, throughout the entire summer. This variety adapts to medium to small bodies of water as well as barrels and other containers that decorate the terrace. Its rhizome should be planted under 30 to 50 cm of water.

The hybrid Nymphaea 'Eros' is a horticultural creation by Dieter Bechthold (Germany) dating back to 2001. It is a cross between the varieties 'Perrys Fire Opal' and 'Wow', from which it inherited its vibrant colour. It is an aquatic perennial with deciduous foliage that belongs to the family Nymphaeaceae. This plant develops numerous floating leaves measuring 16 to 20 cm in diameter in mature plants starting from spring. The leaves are round and their sinus is normally open two-thirds, sometimes completely open or almost closed. When young, they are bronze in colour and gradually turn green. The plant spreads over 80-90 cm. The generous flowering usually begins in June and continues until late summer. The double flowers measure 10-12 cm in diameter and float on the water. These corollas open during the day and close in the evening. Each flower lives for 4 to 5 days before withering, it returns underwater and is then replaced by another flower. The flowering is followed by the formation of fruits containing numerous seeds. The fruit ripens underwater and releases the 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, 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 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 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 bears flowers that are sometimes diurnal, sometimes nocturnal, and occasionally fragrant.