Nymphaea Daubenyana | Blue Tropical Water Lily

A tropical that tolerates cold better than most, and propagates itself. Nymphaea × daubenyana is a natural hybrid of N. micrantha and N. nouchali var. caerulea, carrying fragrant star-shaped blue flowers about 4 inches across over large mottled leaves. New plantlets form on the leaf blades, so one plant becomes several without any division work.

What You'll Receive

• You will get 1 young and freshly harvested water lily tuber
• All of our water lilies tubers/rhizomes have been inspected before ship out and guaranteed they are viable and perfect to grow in a proper pond environment

Plant Profile

• Common name — Daubeny's Water Lily
• Scientific name — Nymphaea × daubenyana
• Parentage — Natural hybrid of N. micrantha × N. nouchali var. caerulea
• Type — Tropical water lily, viviparous
• Flower — Striking blue, star-shaped with narrow pointed petals, about 4 inches across, pleasantly fragrant
• Foliage — Cordate to rounded, up to 12 inches wide; bright green marked with red above, pale brownish-red beneath
• Placement — Ponds, container water gardens, or tanks 20 gallons and up

Care

• Difficulty — Beginner
• Sunlight — Full sun to partial shade; at least 6 hours of direct sun
• Water depth — 12 to 36 inches, in still or slow-moving water
• Substrate — Heavy clay or loam in a submerged container
• Planting angle — Tropical tuber: straight up at 90°, crown level with the soil
• Feeding — Aquatic fertilizer tablets through the growing season
• Overwintering — More cold-tolerant than most tropicals, but still not frost-hardy. Lift and store warm and frost-free in cool climates
• Propagation — Foliar proliferation: plantlets form on the leaf blade above the petiole and develop fully once the leaf detaches

Grower's Notes

• It reproduces on its own leaves. Plantlets appear on the pad above the point where the stem joins, and finish developing once that leaf breaks away. Float detached leaves in shallow water and pot the plantlets once they have roots — most lilies only increase by division, so this is a genuine advantage.
• Unusually cold-tolerant for a tropical, which widens where it can be grown. It still cannot survive a frozen pond.
• Large leaves to 12 inches, with red marking above and brownish-red beneath, so the foliage carries interest between flushes of bloom.
• Twelve-inch leaves in an aquarium mean regular trimming. A tank of 20 gallons or more can carry this lily, and the marked foliage is worth having on its own — but the old pads have to come out as they age, or nothing below them sees light. Flowers indoors are realistic only under very high, sun-like lighting on a long photoperiod; short of that it grows and proliferates without blooming.
• A natural hybrid rather than a nursery cross, and one of the older blue lilies in cultivation.
• Wants still water. Keep the pot away from fountains and waterfall outflows.

New to planting water lilies? Read our complete Water Lily Planting Guide — tuber angle, soil, depth and the one mistake that kills most first lilies.

Notes

• We don't ship dormant roots. Your tuber arrives fresh and actively growing with 1–2 young leaves already emerged — visible proof it's viable before it leaves us. Young pads may start fully submerged and will reach the surface within about a week in good light.
• Remove yellowing pads and spent flowers as they appear — though leave any pad carrying plantlets until they are ready to lift.
• Never release aquarium plants into natural waterways.

At a glance

• Free shipping on orders of $150 or more (after discounts) within the contiguous United States, by USPS.
• Free thermal protection is included with every shipment, all year round.
• Processing: most orders leave us within 1 to 2 business days. Tracking is emailed when your order ships.
• USPS (2 to 5 business days) ships Monday through Saturday.
• UPS 2nd Day Air® ships Monday through Wednesday. Order by Tuesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
• UPS Next Day Air® ships Monday through Thursday. Order by Wednesday at 6:00 AM Pacific Time for same-week delivery.
• Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and military addresses ship by USPS at a flat rate shown at checkout.
• Weather holds: during extreme heat or cold we may hold live orders until it's safe to ship.
• We ship within the United States only.

Please bring live plants indoors and unpack them the day they arrive. Every live order is covered by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee.

The complete rules, including lost packages and address issues, are in our Shipping Policy. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.

Every live order is backed by our 24-Hour Live Arrival Guarantee. If a plant arrives dead, we'll make it right.

How it works

• Tell us within 24 hours of the delivery time on your tracking.
• Send photos of the affected items in their original, unopened packaging, plus a photo of the shipping label, to hello@aquariumplantsfactory.com with your order number.
• We'll make it right with a replacement, store credit or refund for the affected item.

Good to know

• Some melting or yellowing as plants adjust from greenhouse to aquarium life is normal. They regrow from healthy roots and rhizomes.
• Please bring your package indoors and unpack it the day it arrives.
• Free promotional items and shipping charges are not covered.

The complete rules, including what's covered and what voids the guarantee, are in our Returns, Refunds & Live Arrival Guarantee. If anything conflicts, that policy applies.

Please review your state's regulations on restricted plants, as we are committed to not shipping plants that are restricted in your area. Do not release any plants into the wild or waterways, as this can harm local ecosystems by introducing invasive species.

Your cooperation in protecting the environment is appreciated. For continuously updated information, refer to the USDA State Noxious Weed list here.

Thank you for your responsible commitment to environmental preservation.