Nymphaeaceae

The water lilies can be hardy or exotic but the collection we present next to the alpine garden contains only hardy Nymphaea. Most of them are horticultural Nymphaea (52 varieties) and 3 botanical Nymphaea. The hardy water lilies are perennial and blossom only during the day (whereas exotic water lilies can flower during the night).

The star shaped flowers offer a whole scale of colours. There are "changing" water lilies which colour evolves as the flowering proceeds, as an example, Nymphaea Comanche changes from an apricot pink to a copper bronze.

The flowers are numerous but also ephemeral : they open up and close down during 2 or 3 days, then they stay closed and sink progressively before others replace them.

The Nymphaea flower is said "primitive" because it is made of many tepals that are an intermediate form between petals and sepals.

Nymphaea : flower with many tepals, it floats on the water or is lightly rising.

Nuphar : small flower with 5 yellow pseudo-petals and smaller real petals. It lightly rises upon water.

Nelumbo : the flowers and leaves are strongly risen upon the water. The flower has a 30 cm diameter and many tepals that are white, pink or yellow.