Nymphaea Pink Sensation | Pink Hardy Water Lily

Bred by Perry D. Slocum in 1947 and still a benchmark. Nymphaea 'Pink Sensation' is a hardy water lily with vivid pink star-shaped flowers and bright yellow centers, 5 to 7 inches across. It earned its reputation on reliability — rich color, a long flowering season, and a tolerance for a wide range of pond conditions.

What You'll Receive

One young, viable Nymphaea 'Pink Sensation' hardy water lily rhizome, with a healthy crown and 1–2 actively growing leaves, ensuring quick establishment and vigorous growth when planted.

Plant Profile

• Common name — Pink Sensation Water Lily
• Scientific name — Nymphaea 'Pink Sensation'
• Hybridizer — Perry D. Slocum, 1947
• Type — Hardy water lily
• Flower — Intense pink, star-shaped, bright yellow center; 5–7 inches across, lightly fragrant
• Foliage — Rounded green pads with subtle purple mottling
• Bloom season — May through September; long and consistent
• Spread — Medium, up to 3 ft
• Placement — Ponds and container water gardens of any size, or tanks 20 gallons and up

Care

• Difficulty — Beginner
• Sunlight — Full sun, 6–8 hours daily
• Water depth — 12–20 inches over the rhizome
• Water — pH 6.0–8.0; tolerates slightly acidic to alkaline
• Substrate — Heavy loam or field soil with 3–5 aquatic fertilizer tablets near the rhizome
• Planting angle — Hardy rhizome: 45°, growing tip up, at the pot edge pointing toward the center
• Overwintering — Hardy in most climates; overwinters outdoors in ponds that do not freeze solid
• Propagation — Rhizome division

Grower's Notes

• A medium spread at 3 feet makes this one of the more placeable hardy lilies. Many cultivars with blooms this size want 4 feet or more, which rules them out of smaller ponds. 'Pink Sensation' gives you 5–7 inch flowers without demanding the space.
• Nearly eighty years in cultivation. It has outlasted a great many prettier introductions because it flowers dependably in ordinary conditions.
• The star shape holds its form as the bloom opens, which reads more distinctly across water than a rounded cup does.
• Easy to divide once established, so one rhizome becomes several over a few seasons.
• Feed with tablets pushed into the soil, never loose into the water — loose fertilizer feeds algae instead of the lily.
• It will live in an aquarium; it will rarely bloom in one. Twenty gallons is the sensible minimum and the plant grows willingly there, but the star-shaped flowers only appear under very high, sun-like light over a long daily photoperiod. Indoors most people get vigorous pads instead — and they grow quickly enough that frequent trimming is simply part of keeping the tank. The pond is still where this cultivar earns its name.

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. Water lilies ship bare-root and should be planted on arrival.
• Bloom and leaf color, size and shape vary with lighting, water quality and plant maturity.
• 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.