Description
Nymphoides – Floating Heart – Fairy Waterlily – Water Snowflake –
There are about 20 species of rhizomatous, herbaceous, submerged aquatic perennials in this genus. They occur worldwide, often in shallow, still water in lakes and ponds, where they spread rapidly, the leaves form floating carpet. Leaves are 1-6″ diameter oval or rounded with heart shaped bases, or kidney shape and are slightly glossy and olive green occasionally purple mottled and wavy edged. The leaves sprout from creeping, branched rhizomes. The ½-1″ diameter yellow or white, fringed flowers, resembling miniature waterlilies (Nymphaea), are held just above the surface of the water. Grow in a wildlife pool with waterlilies or Nuphar species.
Outdoors, grow hardy species, and tender species in frost free areas, in water no deeper the 4-18″ in full sun. In a small pool contain within an aquatic container, in a large pool or lake, growth is limited to shallow margins.
Prone to the larvae of the china mark moth.
N. crenata – Yellow Water Snowflake – This rhizomatous aquatic perennial from Australia as an indefinite spread. It produces ovate, green veined, chestnut brown leaves, 2-3″ across. From early spring to mid autumn it bears solitary, star shaped, 5 petaled, bright yellow flowers, ½-3/4″ across.
Zones 7-11
