‘Laydekeri Fulgens’ Waterlily

A beautiful 117-year-old French cultivar

BY: Elizabeth Noll

We gardeners go crazy for new varieties, but sometimes the classics are just as good as this year’s model—if not better. The ‘Laydekeri Fulgens’ waterlily, a 117-year-old French cultivar, is one of the three aquatic plants honored in 2010 by the International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society for its outstanding qualities. This waterlily is famous for blooming all summer long—the IWGS says it is “one of the most floriferous hardy waterlilies in existence.” The deep red blossoms are 4 to 6 inches across. Wide green leaves are splashed with purple when young.

Common name: ‘Fulgens’ waterlily, ‘Laydekeri Fulgens’ waterlily
Botanical name: Nymphaea ‘Fulgens’ or N. ‘Laydekeri Fulgens’
Plant type: Perennial
Zones: 4 to 9
Height: About 6 inches
Family: Nymphaeaceae

Growing conditions
•    Sun: Full sun to part shade
•    Soil: Wet soil (such as a pond bottom)

Propagation
•    By seed or division

Pests and diseases
•    Waterlily beetle and waterlily aphid may be problems.
•    May be vulnerable to brown spot, waterlily leaf spot, and crown rot.

Garden notes
•    The ‘Laydekeri Fulgens’ waterlily spreads by rhizome to form a mature plant about 4 or 5 feet across.
•    Plant hardy waterlilies directly in the muck at the bottom of the pond, or in containers that can be sunk into a pond or water garden.
•    Hardy waterlilies survive harsh winters as long as the pond bottom (where their rhizomes are) doesn’t freeze. If they’re in a shallow pond or container that is likely to freeze solid, remove them from the pond and store them in a basement or garage where the temperature is around 40°F to 45°F.

All in the family
•    The genus Nymphaea contains about 50 species, which are found in both temperate and tropical climates around the world.
•    Waterlilies are not actually lilies. Lilies are in the genus Lilium, daylilies are in the genus Hemerocallis, and both are in the family Liliaceae. The lotus, which looks very much like a waterlily, is not a relative, either. Its genus name is Nelumbo, and it’s in the family Nelumbonaceae.

Where to buy
•    Catfish Logic, Dover, FL, 813-752-3932, www.catfishlogic.com.
•    Pond-O-Mania, Salt Lake City, UT, 205-655-7500, www.pond-o-mania.com.
•    The Pond Outlet, Los Angeles, CA, 805-241-0141, www.thepondoutlet.com.

(Text by Elizabeth Noll, photo of Nymphaea ‘Fulgens’ courtesy of the International Waterlily and Water Gardening Society.)

Comments

By nahugueley1 Thursday, July 22, 2010 10:17 AM

my lillies have been blooming great all summer, but now the leaves are starting to brown around the edges. does anyone know what could be causing this problem?

By celleman Monday, August 02, 2010 2:34 PM

i have a question about my mothers pond. she keeps losting all her fish. the plants and frogs are fin, but her fish. do you know what could be causing this?

By sbowlden Sunday, August 08, 2010 7:33 PM

I had a bacteria from the plants that got in the gills of some of our fish. We had to pull them out everyday for a week and give them antibiotic injections. They survived that round. If you lose another one have a Koi supplier do a slide on the dead fish. It helped us figure out what was causing the problem. A new lily was put in the pond and it carried the problem. We now clean and soak any new plants in a fish safe antibacterial solution. It is so sad to lose a pet fish you have had for 10 years. Also be real careful of any kind of materials that can leach into the ground or water near your pond. We lost our fish while on vacation during a rain storm from a tile adhesive that leached into the soil and foamed up the water. It was horrible. Good luck hope you figure it out.

By higginbotham Wednesday, November 03, 2010 7:35 PM

celleman does your mother have turtles in her pond they wont only eat the fish they will eat the lillies also.