Nymphaea 'King of Siam' carries double deep purple-blue petals stacked into a full, layered bloom — a 1998 Thai hybrid of 'Larp Prasert' × 'Colorata' by Chaiyaphon Thamasuwan. It is a tropical lily, so it wants heat and sun and comes indoors for winter in a cold climate.
What You'll Receive
- Shipped bare-root as a tuber, ready to plant on arrival
Plant Profile
- Common name — King of Siam Blue Tropical Water Lily
- Scientific name — Nymphaea 'King of Siam'
- Also known as — Nymphaea 'King of the Blues', Nymphaea 'Chalong Kwan'
- Type — Tropical, day-blooming; hybrid of 'Larp Prasert' × 'Colorata' (Chaiyaphon Thamasuwan, 1998)
- Flower — Double deep purple-blue petals
- Placement — Ponds and container water gardens, or tanks 20 gallons and up
- Mature height — 12-24 inches
- Growth rate — Fast
Care
- Difficulty — Beginner
- Sunlight — Full sun, at least 6 hours daily
- Planting depth — 6-18 inches of water over the tuber
- Water — 72-82°F, pH 6.0-7.5; still to slightly moving
- Soil — Heavy clay or loam, capped with gravel; this is a root feeder
- Feeding — Water lily fertilizer tablets through the growing season
- Propagation — Rhizome division
Grower's Notes
- Tropical, not hardy — this decides your winter. The tuber must be lifted and stored in moist conditions over winter unless you are in a warm climate. If you cannot do that, buy a hardy lily instead; they stay in the pond and return on their own.
- True blue-purple is rare in lilies. Most pond lilies run pink, red, white or yellow. The blue-purple line traces back to N. colorata, which is this plant's parent — that is where the color comes from.
- Warm water matters as much as sun. A shaded or spring-fed pond that stays cool will give you pads and very few flowers no matter how much fertilizer goes in.
- Fast growth is the thing to plan for indoors. It will live in a tank of 20 gallons and up, but the pads arrive quickly and need cutting back often or they close over the surface and shade everything beneath. The double blooms are a separate matter — they want light at sun-like intensity over a long day, so an indoor plant usually stays green and flowers rarely.
- Plant the tuber upright with the crown exposed. Set it in the center of the pot with the growing point above the soil line, then cap with gravel. Buried crowns rot.
- Plant at final depth — submerged pads are normal. The young pads may sit completely underwater at first, and they do not need to reach the surface on day one. Given enough sunlight the leaf stems extend on their own and the pads surface within about a week.
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
- All water lilies are shipped bare-root (as tubers) and should be planted immediately upon arrival for best results. Bloom and leaf color, size, and shape may vary slightly depending on 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.
This blue tropical water lily consistently arrives healthy with leaves and shows rapid growth. Customers said plants arrive "in great shape" with new growth appearing within days of planting. Blooms may take time to develop, with one customer reporting first bloom after two years in colder climates. Shipping is reliable and well-packaged.
- Arrived really healthy with a few leaves. Sprouted many new leaves since adding it to my pond.
- All 3 arrived in great shape. Leaves up on surface in 3 days!!!!!
- Package arrived with well pads. Plants look just like the picture.
M
My tropical lily arrived looking really healthy with a few leaves. It has sprouted many new leaves since adding it to my pond about a week ago. Great experience with APF!
S
I would like to share the first bloom's image. It took me almost two years. We live in northern California which can get cold in winter months.
V
All 3 arrived in great shape with stems and leaves. Planted immediately and leaves up on surface in 3 days!!!!! Will fertilze and wait on blooms, should be sometime next week if I'm lucky!
D
So far they are doing wonderful. New growth. Can’t wait until they are mature enough to bloom.
H
I received this product from mail in good shape. It only takes 4 days to deliver to my home. I will follow up and let you know the status of growing.
S
Nymphaea King of Siam | Blue Tropical Water Lily
S
I am satisfied as first time customer here. Thank you for an email updates on shipment. The package was arrived with well pads. Small water lily plants/bulbs look just like the picture. I planted it according to the clip. Now I'm patiently waiting for my first bloom.
C
Are the King of Siam tropical or hardy? I live in Kentucky and I leave my other lilies in the pond during winter
King of Siam is a tropical water lily, not a hardy variety, so it can't overwinter outdoors in a pond the way your hardy lilies do. In Kentucky's climate, you'd need to either treat it as an annual (let it die back and replace it next season), or bring the tuber indoors for winter storage/dormancy in a bucket of moist sand or damp paper towels in a cool, frost-free spot, then replant it in spring once temps warm back up.
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