Pronounciation: Nim-FAA-e-a RUE-bra

Hardiness zones:
Sunset 12-24
USDA 9-11

Landscape Use: Exclusively used in open water features, floral and textural accent for urban ponds, lakes, and wetlands. Dwarf cultivars are serviceable for residential water gardens, ponds and aquariums.

Form & Character: Open, spreading, delicate, colorful, happy, passionate.

Growth Habit: Semi-deciduous, herbaceous, perennial aquatic hydrophyte, strongly rhizomatous.

Foliage/Texture: Leaves orbicular to 6-inches wide, margins coarsely serrate, veination prominent, adaxial side dark green with purple bronze tinge, abaxial side purple tinge, senescing leaves turn golden yellow, petioles elongated; coarse texture.

Flowers & Fruits: Flowers are 6- to 9-inches wide, pinkish to deep rose red, four red sepals oblong to lanceolate surround 12 to 20 narrow oval petals having a rounded apex, fragrant; fruits inconspicuous.

Seasonal Color: Reddish flowers mostly during fall and early winter as the weather cools.

Temperature: Freeze intolerant.

Light: Full sun to filtered shade.

Soil: Water culture only.

Watering: Water culture only, appropriate aeration required for small residential ponds and aquarium culture.

Pruning: Divide and thin as needed.

Propagation: Division of rhizomes.

Disease and Pests: None

Additional comments: This is an elegant water lily for small and large scale water features, ponds, urban wetlands and lakes. The dwarf cultivar 'Pygmaea Rubra' is suitable for small residential ponds and aquarium culture.

Minor factoid: The specific epithet rubra means "red".