1102 



NYMPH^A 



Economic Value. -the seeds and root-stocks of seve- 

 ral Water-lilies, being very rich in starch, are used for 

 food in parts of Africa, Asia, Australia and tropical 

 America. The white-flowered species of Europe and 

 America have been reputed medicinal. The herbage of 

 all the species contains considerable tannin; nine sub- 

 stances of this class have been isolated from N. alba. 



The Marliac Hyhrids.-Two types of hardv, free- 

 fl:)wering hybrids akin to ^V. alba and its variety rubrii, 

 but of uncertain parentage, have been introduced in the 

 la^t 10 or 12 years, one of sturdy haliit, raising its Ivs. 

 (4-8 in. across) and fls. (3-6 in. "across) well out of the 

 water when crowded, the other slender in growth, the Ivs. 

 (:i-ti in. across) and fls. (2>i-4 in. across) usually float- 

 in'. Most of these superb varieties were introduced by 

 M. Latour-Marliac, of Temple-sur-Lot, France, . whose 

 methods, however, remain a mystery. It seems highly 

 probable that excellent culture combined with careful 

 selection, and wise hybridization have brought about 

 these magnificent results. Tlip first i,'rnup seems to in- 

 volve only lY. all,., ,tv,„., M,„l .V, „//„,. vur. rosea. The 

 second starts wiili u hvl.n.l. pi-.il.aMy cf y. alba var 

 rosea and iV. ^ /,„,,,.„„. -ivin- .V. /.-,,/,/,-ierJ, var. rn- 

 sea, to which is a.ld.-.l. i„ varving .h.-.-.-c-s, blood of N. 

 alba, var. rosea and lY. Mexieuna ; but this does not by 

 Any means account for the whole group. Nearly all of 

 both groups are entirely sterile. Believing that .V.a7fc«. 

 and TV. alba, var. rosea, have given a decided tone to 

 both groups, we have described them as an appendage 

 to this species, though some have more the habit of iV. 

 tetragona. 



Important Species. — The following account, which 

 contains 9J varieties and about aO synonyms, will seem 

 rather formidable to the beginner, but "the species of 

 the first importance are only 7 in number: JY. Lotus, 

 rubra, odorata, tuberosa, alba. Capensis and Znmibari- 

 ■ensis. The great majority of the other names represent 

 garden varieties and hybrids. It is impossible for any 

 form of arrangement to be clear and logical on the one 

 hand, and exhibit natural relationship on the other, at 

 least, not in a genus so greatly modified in cultivation. 

 However, the true species are prominently indicated by 

 bold-faced type and indention as usual, while their de- 

 rivatives are thrown into the background. 



Henry S. Conard. 

 Water-lilies or Nymph.eas are among the most royal, 

 gorgeous, diversitied and universallv admired plants in 

 cultivation. No class of plants in our public parks can 

 •compete with them in attracting the people. Moreover, 

 America is the most highly favored country in the 

 world for the cultivation of aquatic plants. Ours is the 

 only country which can have so rich and continuous a 

 ■display of aquatics in flower from April to October in 

 the open without artificial heat. 



pie Procession of the Water-lilies. -In our parks and 

 iprivate gardens are to be seen, flowering early in spring, 

 all our native Nymph»as, and others from Europe and 

 Asia. The species begin to flower in April and continue 

 until early fall, when a number of the hardy hvbrids 

 continue to flower uninterruptedly until the end "of the 

 season. In the central states and southward the hardy 

 varieties decline when tropical weather sets in, and the 

 nights and days are hot. In the eastern states, and 

 ■especially near the coast, where the nights are cool, the 

 season is much longer, and the color of some of the pink 

 varieties is more intense. Following the hardv Nym- 

 phieas come the Nelumbiums in all their oriental splen- 

 dor, brightening the sum-n.r sf:,s,>ii. and bridging over 

 the declining period of thr hanlv ,\vi,,|.hfeas, and the 

 approaching season of tin- tn.iiical Nv uiphieas, which 

 arrive at maturity toward thf lattn- i-nd of .Inly or be- 

 ginning of Augus't, and continue until tall. Fiii:illy the 

 grandest of all aquatic plants, I7r/..,,.; r,',,i,,. i,,ay be 

 seen in America growing in a natural i.Mri.l. .■mmI imi'duc- 

 ing its chaste flowers as late as tlit- ini.l.ll.. ,.i ( i, ■tuber. 

 The American Climate and At,i,,i,;ni Si„rir,i.~ 

 America is rich in native species of Nymphaja, and it is 

 -the only country which has native white-, pink- and yel- 

 low-flowered species. 



Of the American Nvmnhaeas there are about 5 that 

 are best known. The common white Water-lily is 

 JYympha'a odorata. Its vari3ty rosea is the Cape Cod 

 Pink Water-lily. JY. tuberosa (Syn. JY. reniformis) is 



NTMPH^A 



a white-flowered species, inhabiting the western lakes, 

 ihe yellow kind, JY. flam, is indigenous to Florida and 

 other southern states, but is hardy in New Jersey and 

 southern New York. Another southern kind i"s the 

 white-flowered JY. odorata, var. ijir/antea. In addition 

 to the above well-known kinds, tliere are several dis- 

 tinct fonn.s an.) hybri.ls. 

 The poiiini.iir. iii,-.it ..f the cultivation of aquatics in 



America I.-. I i.. il .niiuiugling of species, especially 



of N. od.nal,, and Inl,. ,.,,.„. The result is that in sev- 

 eral sectujusuri- to I..- toiinil niaiiy similar varieties, 

 and torms^ of both wl,,t.- and pink, .some of which are 

 valuable, being distinrt in rolo, and having large, hand- 

 some, fragrant flow.r.. «l,il,. a \,..~\ of others are worth- 

 less, so far as distiift vaii,tir> are concerned. N. tu- 

 berosa was known as the largest and purest white 

 Water-hly, distinct in foliage, flowers and rootstoek. 

 Ihis species has proved to be the most susceptible of 

 cross-fertihzation. One great hindrance to tne cultiva- 

 tion of such half breeds, is that most of them produce 

 seed. The seedlings are either white or pink, and sel- 

 dom, if ever, like the parent plant. There are in differ- 

 ent sections of the country distinct forms of N. tuber- 

 osa, some having long, narrow petals and slii^htlv fra- 

 grant flowers, others again havitii; l.road. Tiirilrviiig 

 petals, forming handsome cup-shap.>il. in-lili ti .■i^'iant 

 flowers; still others have very full fl .wir.s. .piiti dou- 

 ble, the numerous petals crowding ,-.,.-h oth.'r until the 

 reflexed sepals inclose the stalk, forniiii" sphcriial flow- 

 ers like balls of snow. JY. tuberosa, in any of its forms, 

 should not be planted in a small pond wi'th other Nym- 

 phffias, for it is such a rampant grower that in a short 

 time it will smother the less vigorous kiiois. 'rhis spe- 

 cies delights in plenty of space, and wat. r L' t.. H fVet 

 deep, with soil of a tenacious chara.-t.r. llow,.v.r. it 

 will thrive in almost any soil, and is w. il adapic<i for 

 naturalizing in lakes and ponds. Attt-nipls at naturaliz- 

 ing or cultivating on a small scale have not been very 

 satisfactory; but the species will well repay any extra 

 care to establish it in desirable localities. 



Foreign Species and Secent Triumphs in Hybridisa- 

 tion.— Two or three species are indigenous to continen- 

 tal Europe, notably TV. alba, the well-known English 

 white Waterdily, JY. Candida, the white Bohemian Wa- 

 ter-lily and JY. alba, var. rosea, the Swedish Water-lily. 

 The last named is the only distinct or true red-flow- 

 ered, hardy species. Still another species, which has 

 played a very important part with specialists of the 

 present day, is iV. tetragona (lY. pygmcea), from China 

 and Japan. 



JY. odorata was introduced into England during the 

 eighteenth century, and was probably the first for- 

 eign Nymphasa to reach that country. Other species 

 followed later, mostly tropical : but. although the Eng- 

 lish people were ardent horticulturists and lovers of 

 the beautiful in nature over a century ago, Nym- 

 phteas never became popular, and remained a neglected 

 class of plants until a few years ago, when M. Marliac 

 of Temple-sur-Lot,France, conceived the idea of crossing 

 the English white Water-lily with the well-known Cape 

 Cod pink Water-lily, and the Florida yellow variety. 

 Nothing in the horticultural world has created more sur- 

 prising results in the blending of the American and 

 U^nghsh species. These species have been the pro- 

 genitors of numerous varieties, which have made this 

 class of plants the most popular and desirable of all 

 aquatic decorative plants, and within reach of all. Their 

 popularity has kept constantly increasing and ever 

 brightened by new additions. America, too, has contrib- 

 uted its quota to the list of novelties, and some of 

 these are unsurpassed by any European introductions. 

 The Gen,r„l Prinriphs of Water-lily Culture. - 

 *rom the apiiar.titly smipli^ conditions under which our 

 native varieties an- t..und -i-owing, many amateurs have 

 concluded that all tlies,^ plants require is water and pos- 

 sibly some mud to keep the roots in. Many attempts 

 have been made to grow these plants in pails and tubs, 

 with the inevitable result- failure. Professional gar- 

 deners, also, have made grievous errors, for, while they 

 have used every means to secure fine specimen plants 

 of flowers, vegetables and luscious fruits, they have 

 usually given meager attention to Water-lilies, and have 

 not supplied half their wants. Water-lilies, all Nym- 



