Nymphaea ‘Pink Peony’: A Stunning Aquatic Hybrid

The Nymphaea ‘Pink Peony’ is a perennial aquatic herbaceous plant, a horticultural hybrid bred in the United States by Kirk Strawn in 1993. It belongs to the water lily family.

The Pink Peony water lily is a medium-sized flower, large in shape, pink in color, star-shaped, with the flower standing upright in the water, measuring 12-14 centimeters in diameter, floating on or above the water surface.

The petals form multiple rows, the carpels are annular, attached and partially submerged in the fleshy cup-shaped receptacle, and partially fused with it at the lower part, extending upwards into the style, the stigma forms a concave stigma disc, the ovules are inverted and hang on the inner wall of the ovary.

The berries are spongy, irregularly cracked, and mature underwater; the seeds are hard and coated in a gelatinous substance.

The Pink Peony water lily blooms from May to September, opening in the morning and closing in the afternoon or evening; when the flower opens, it floats on the water surface and has a strong fragrance, after pollination, it sinks into the water.

It is a cold-tolerant water lily variety, cultivated for ornamental purposes.

I. Morphology and Characteristics

The Pink Peony water lily is a perennial aquatic herb; the rhizome is short and thick. The leaves are papery, round, front-facing green, back-facing central green, with reddish-brown edges, leaf diameter 17×16 centimeters.

The leaf stalk is reddish-brown, with hairs. The leaf base is minutely divided; mature leaves are green, young leaves are dark red on both sides; the leaf stalk is green, 30-50 centimeters long. The rhizome is tuberous, erect.

The flowers are pink (250.m.p Pk), star-shaped, standing upright in the water, 12-14 cm in diameter. The buds are elongated, peach-shaped, and green. The sepal back is green, the front is pink. Both male and female stamens are yellow.

There are 32-40 petals, spoon-shaped, wider, with multiple rows of inner buckles, resembling a peony; flower diameter; there are 4 sepals. The flower stalk is reddish-brown, hairy. The stamens are 70-100, with strong fertility.

The berries are spherical, 2-2.5 cm in diameter, wrapped in persistent sepals; the seeds are elliptical, 2-3 mm long, black. The flowering period is from May to September.

The flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon or evening. When the flower opens, it floats on the water surface, and after pollination, it sinks into the water.

II. Habits

Water lilies like sunlight and good ventilation, so tropical and cold-resistant water lilies that bloom during the day will close their flowers at night and open again in the morning. In ponds on the bank with tree shade, although they can bloom, their growth is weaker.

They are not strict about soil quality, can grow normally at pH 6-8, the most suitable water depth is 25-30 cm, and the deepest should not exceed 80 cm. They like loam rich in organic matter.

From March to April, they sprout and grow leaves, and from May to August, they bloom one after another, each flower blooms for 2-5 days. After flowering, they bear fruit. From October to November, the stems and leaves wither.

The next spring, they sprout again. They grow in ponds and lakes, and are often cultivated in some park ponds.

III. Cultivation Methods

Pot Cultivation

Choose a flower pot of about 50 cm in height and with the largest possible diameter, with drainage holes at the bottom. Place evenly mixed nutrient soil inside the flower pot, filling it to a depth of 30-40 cm to facilitate water storage.

Bury a healthy propagule in the center of the flower pot, with the tip of the bud just slightly exposed above the soil. After planting, add water but do not fill to the brim; keeping the water level 2-3 cm above the soil layer is ideal for warming and ensuring survival.

As the plant grows, gradually increase the water level.

Container Planting

Choose a nutrient bowl without holes, 30 cm in height and 40 cm in diameter. The planting method and nutrient soil are the same as for pot cultivation, but keep the soil height around 25 cm.

After planting, immerse the bowl in a water tank, maintaining the water level just enough to submerge the nutrient bowl, and gradually increase the water level as the plant grows.

This method has the advantage of being easy to overwinter – simply raise the water level in winter to keep the lily bud below the ice layer. The disadvantage is that you must step into the water tank for maintenance, which can be inconvenient.

Pond

Choose a pond with fertile soil, with at least 30 cm of mud at the bottom. Propagules can be directly planted into the mud, starting with a shallow water level of 2-3 cm to facilitate warming.

As the plant grows, gradually increase the water level. Before winter, deepening the water level according to the region will allow the rhizomes to overwinter below the ice layer.

The advantage of this method is that it is beneficial for the group effect and large growth volume, but the disadvantage is that it can be difficult to harvest the following year and hard to prevent diseases and pests.

Water Level

Whether a hardy water lily can grow normally depends on one key factor: the control of the water level. The water level requirements of hardy water lilies vary with different growth periods, so attention should be paid to the control of the water level.

Since the water temperature has a direct impact on the growth and flowering of the water lily, the water level should be as shallow as possible in the early stages of growth to avoid exposing the leaves to the air, which helps to quickly raise the water temperature, promote root growth, and improve survival rate.

As the leaves grow, gradually raise the water level until it reaches the maximum during peak growth, which will help in nutrient storage by promoting the growth of larger leaves and longer petioles.

In the autumn, lower the water level to increase the water temperature, allowing the leaves to receive sufficient sunlight and enhance photosynthesis, which promotes the growth of water lily rhizomes and lateral buds and increases the number of propagules for the following year.

After the weather turns cooler in late autumn, gradually deepen the water level to keep most of the leaves submerged, which helps control nutrient growth.

Before the water surface freezes, deepen the water level all at once, depending on the historical maximum ice thickness, to ensure that the water lily buds are below the ice layer and can safely overwinter.

Fertilizing

The principle of fertilizing is to benefit the growth of the water lily without wasting the fertilizer in the water, as this would lead to eutrophication, accelerating the growth of algae and aquatic plants and polluting the water.

Fertilizer can be wrapped in a firm, absorbent paper and a few small holes can be made in the package to release the nutrients. Place it 15-20 cm away from the center and at a depth of less than 10 cm.

Alternatively, mix damp garden soil or clay with fertilizer at a certain ratio (generally 10:1 for chemical fertilizer and 4:1 for organic fertilizer), and form it into a ball that does not stick to or crumble from your hand.

Place it in a radial pattern 15-20 cm from the center of the rhizome and 10-15 cm beneath it.

Fertilize generally 15 days before the flowering period and then every 15 days to ensure the number of flowers, but avoid over-fertilizing as this can lead to excessive nutrient growth and a large number of leaves, affecting the overall flowering period.

Appropriate fertilizing can extend the group flowering period of hardy water lilies and increase the number of propagules for the following year.

IV. Propagation Methods

Division

Water lilies primarily propagate through division. Cold-tolerant varieties usually undergo division from March to April, before they sprout in early spring.

Temperature-sensitive varieties, which require higher air and water temperatures, are only divided around mid-May. During division, the rhizomes are dug up, and those with full new buds are selected.

These are cut into sections of 8-10 centimeters, each with at least one bud, and then planted. The top bud should be buried facing upwards in the soil, with the depth of the covering soil being just enough to keep the plant bud level with the soil surface.

Each pot should contain 5-7 sections. After planting, the plant should be exposed to sunlight before being watered with a shallow amount of water to maintain the water temperature.

However, avoid overwatering as this could affect sprouting. When the temperature rises and the new buds start to sprout, the water level can be increased. The plants should be placed in a well-ventilated, sunny location and grown in water 20-40 centimeters deep.

The water level can be slightly increased during summer, and it is important to keep the water in the pots clean during the hot season.

Seeding

Water lilies can also propagate through seeding. After the flowers bloom, they are moved into the water. Before the fruits mature, they are covered with a gauze bag to catch the seeds when the fruits burst.

After harvesting, the seeds must be stored in water as they lose their ability to sprout when dry-stored. Seeding is done from March to April in fertile clay loam. The soil in the pot should not be overfilled and should be 5-6 centimeters from the top of the pot.

After sowing, the seeds are covered with 1 centimeter of soil, pressed down, and submerged in water. The water level should be 3-4 centimeters above the soil and covered with glass.

The pots are placed in a sunny, warm spot to raise the temperature inside the pot. The optimal temperature for germination is 25-30℃. After about half a month, the seeds will sprout and can blossom the next year.

V. Disease Control

Rot Disease

Use disease-resistant varieties.

Rotate crops every 2-3 years in heavily diseased fields.

Choose disease-free lotus rhizomes and use a 50% carbendazim or 20% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 800 times liquid plus 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 800 times liquid. After spraying, seal the seeds under a plastic film for 24 hours, then let them dry before planting.

Plow and harrow the lotus field deeply, applying 1500-2250 kg of lime per hectare.

Strengthen the management of fertilizer and water, apply adequate amounts of well-rotted organic fertilizers, apply fertilizers timely and appropriately, combine organic and chemical fertilizers, and combine nitrogen with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.

Manage the water layer according to the different growth stages of the lotus, make it suitable for deep and shallow water, use water to adjust temperature and fertilizer, and prevent diseases from worsening due to high water temperature or long-term deep watering.

Remove diseased plants timely and spray with 50% carbendazim wettable powder 600 times liquid plus 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder 600 times liquid.

Leaf Rot Disease

Remove and bury or burn disease-infected plants at harvest time to reduce the source of infection.

In the early stages of the disease, spray with 50% carbendazim wettable powder 800 times liquid or 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder 800 times liquid or 30% copper sulfate suspension 500 times liquid every 10 days, spray 2-3 times in total.

Anthracnose

During the growing season, collect and bury diseased remnants deeply or burn them.

Apply sufficient mature organic fertilizer, timely and appropriate top dressing, combine organic and chemical fertilizers, and nitrogen fertilizer with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.

Pull out diseased plants in time and spray with 600 times liquid of 50% carbendazim wettable powder, 600 times liquid of 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder, 500 times liquid of 36% methyl thiophanate suspension, 1500 times liquid of 50% carbendazim wettable powder, or 800 times liquid of 80% anthracnose Fumei wettable powder, spray once every 10 days for 2-3 times in a row.

Small Firefly Leaf Beetle

A devastating pest, the adult beetles overwinter in vegetation near ponds, lay eggs on the leaves in late spring, and can produce 2-3 generations in one season.

At this time, you can rinse the leaves with water, causing the adults and pupae to fall into the water and be eaten by fish. If larvae damage occurs, you can use 1200 times liquid of enemy dead spray to kill.

Water Lily Aphid

Damages many soft-leaved aquatic plants. In summer, it invades leaves and flower stems, causing color changes in flowers. Its eggs overwinter on Rosaceae plants, especially on plum and hawthorn trees, rarely on cherry trees.

It should be avoided to plant Rosaceae plants in large areas near water, or wash these host plants with tar in winter. You can also rinse the leaves with a water cage head, spray pesticides, etc.

Snail Species

When damaged, use Furadan or enemy hundred insects mixed with sawdust, put in a cloth bag, tied on the leaf stalk, so that the bag floats on the water, with the water waves, diffuse the medicine, kill the pests.

Biological control methods work well, releasing 5 kg of loach in 1000m2 water can effectively stop the spread of pests.

Aphids

Affected leaves can be sprayed with 1000-1200 times liquid of Dimethoate, or 2000-2500 times liquid of 50% Lees oil emulsion.

VI. Value and Others

Garden

In the history of Chinese lotus culture, the pot lotus appeared initially for private courtyard viewing. The combination of pot planting and pond planting techniques enhances the ornamental value of pot lotus, often appearing in garden waterscapes and small garden products.

The water lily rock bonsai is a new type of bonsai. It is the organic combination of water lily pot planting and rock bonsai, reflecting both the toughness of the rocks and the delicacy of the flowers.

Medicinal Use

According to the nutritional composition analysis of the water lily, the results show that the water lily is rich in 17 kinds of amino acids, and the water lily protein is a high-quality protein.

The analysis results also show that the water lily is rich in VC, flavone glycosides, and trace element zinc, which have a strong lead discharge function in combination.

Animal acute toxicity experiments, micronucleus tests, and sperm aberration tests all show that the water lily is a safe and reliable substance with no toxic side effects.

Water lily pollen is rich in nutrients, with completeness, balance, and concentration, and is a promising natural nutrient source for development and utilization.