Three tropical waterlilies.

Like you might already know, there is certainly more than carnivorous plants to me. I also have a soft spot for other groups in the plant kingdom.Waterlilies and other aquatic plants constitute one noteworthy example. I especially like tropical waterlilies for they display colors (especially lilac to blue) that are very seldom seen in the hardy species. I have on top of my koi pond, a small pond where I keep several waterlilies including a tropical one, Nymphaea 'Panama Pacific', that I am growing for the second consecutive year. I have to say this year has been a bit disappointed as our summer here in northern France is being really dull. I think it has rained almost every day in August and a large part of July as well! Hence, the tropical waterlily that has been kept outside has only produced a few erratic flowers because the water temperature was not high enough. As simple as that. However, I still enjoy the sight of  these sophisticated flowers (I think they were much bluer last year unless my camera provides a bad rendition of the colours).

A shot showing a lone flower of N. Panama Pacific'. The reddish flowers belong to a hardy waterlily, N. 'Perry's Baby Red'.

I'm having much more satisfaction with two other tropical waterlilies (botanical species this time) that I keep inside my conservatory, just behind the glass. There, temperature rises fast and conditions are truly tropical most of the time.

The first one is Nymphaea colorata, a small species from tropical East Africa, that I have tried to grow outside last year in the small pond. The plant died alas. It was small and I planted it too deep in the pond (50 cm). There, even in summer, the water was not warm enough for the plant to develop well. It produced a handful of tiny leaves then declined. This time I ordered another starter plant (from Latour-Marliac Nursery) and kept it in a 70 cm diametre pot in the conservatory in full sun. The plant just loved the conditions. Within a few weeks, it produced many leaves, larger and larger, before magnificent flowers appeared.

The remaining species is the famous 'Blue Lotus' or 'blue Egyptian Lotus' which is in fact a true Nymphaea. It is found along the Nile in East Africa. Behold Nymphaea caerulea. It is a bigger species than N. colorata and it has filled without difficulty the 90 cm diametre pot where it dwells. Unfortunately, I can't put it elsewhere. Building a small pond within the conservatory is out of question -for the moment at least, ah! ah!). 

I hope I can overwinter tthese three plants easily so that I can display them once again next year!