The flecking deepens as summer goes on. Nymphaea 'Gloriosa' is a hardy water lily with vivid pink cup to star-shaped blooms 3–5 inches across, marked with flecking that darkens through the season. New leaves emerge light purple before maturing to green, so both flower and foliage shift as the year progresses. What You'll Receive You will get 1 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. The picture is not the actual product you will receive, but a sample representation. Plant Profile Common name — Gloriosa Water Lily Scientific name — Nymphaea 'Gloriosa' Type — Hardy water lily Flower — Vivid pink with darkening flecks, cup-like to star-shaped, 3–5 inches across, fragrant Foliage — Orbicular pads 8–9 inches across; new growth emerges light purple Placement — Large and small water gardens alike Care Difficulty — Beginner Sunlight — Full sun preferred, tolerates partial shade; 6+ hours direct sun is ideal Water depth — 12 to 36 inches, in still or slow-moving water Substrate — Heavy clay or loam in a submerged container Planting angle — Hardy rhizome: 45°, growing tip up, at the pot edge pointing toward the centre Feeding — Aquatic fertiliser tablets through the growing season Overwintering — Hardy. Lower the container to the deepest part of the pond, below the freeze line Propagation — Rhizome division Grower's Notes The flowers change through the season. Flecking on the petals darkens as summer progresses, so a plant in August does not look like the same plant in June. Most cultivars hold one colour all year — this one rewards watching. Suits small ponds as readily as large ones. At 3–5 inch blooms it stays in proportion where a big cultivar would overwhelm the surface. Purple new growth gives two-tone foliage on an actively growing plant. More shade-tolerant than most lilies, though flowering is always heaviest in full sun. The pads give landing places for bees and shelter for pond life, and the shade they cast helps hold algae back. 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 to keep the water clean and push energy into new growth. Never release aquatic plants into natural waterways.
