Nymphaea Graziella

The Nymphaea 'Graziella' (synonym 'Odorata Graciella') is a small hardy water lily with a coppery pinkish-orange colour, perfectly suited for ornamenting small ponds, basins, barrels, and tubs. Its small flowers, with changing tones, bloom in small groups throughout the summer, standing out against the heavily speckled small olive-green leaves. The rhizome of this water lily should be planted shallowly, between 15 and 30 cm below the surface. 'Graziella' tolerates semi-shaded exposures well.

The Nymphaea 'Graziella' is an old horticultural creation by Joseph Bory Latour-Marliac dating back to 1904. It is actually a series of small water lilies with variously-coloured flowers, always well highlighted by distinctly marbled or speckled foliage. 'Graziella' is a aquatic perennial with deciduous rhizomes that belongs to the Nymphaeaceae family. This plant develops numerous floating leaves measuring 8 to 10 cm in diameter in mature plants, starting from spring. The leaves are slightly ovate, with an open sinus. When young, they are reddish-brown with green spots, then the spots attenuate with age and gradually turn olive green with fading spots. The very small plant will reach 8 cm in height when flowering and will spread over 50-60 cm. The generous and perpetual flowering usually starts in June and continues until September-October, depending on the climate. The cup-shaped flowers measure 4 to 5 cm in diameter and float on the water's surface. When the rhizome is planted at a shallow depth, the flowers emerge slightly from the surface. Their overall colour is coppery, with some variations of pink or salmon depending on the age of the flower. 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.