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. peltata – Limnanthemum nymphoides – Villarsia nymphoides – Water Fringe – Yellow Floating Heart – This rhizomatous, aquatic perennial from Europe, Asia, and is widely naturalized from Arizona to Texas and New York has indefinite spread. It produces runner to 6′ feet long. It produces ovate to rounded, mottled, bright green, 2-4″ across surface leaves with reddish hues beneath and heart shaped submerged leaves. In summer held on long stalks it carries funnel shaped, bright golden yellow flowers, 3/4″ across.
Zones 6-11
