The Best Blue Water Lilies— By g. v. Nash, 



New York 

 Botanical Garden 



SO ACCUSTOMED are we to think of 

 water lilies as white or pink, or even 

 yellow, that we do not ordinarily associate 

 blue with them, and yet some of the most 

 delicate and striking blues may be found 

 among these aquatic aristocrats. The 

 color of the sky may be found in some, 

 while others are light or bright blue, pale 

 violet, violet-blue or almost purple. All 

 have floating leaves and the flowers raised 

 well above the water on stiff stalks, in- 

 stead of floating as do those of the com- 

 mon white lily of our ponds and slowly 

 moving streams. This habit of growth 

 adapts these flowers to decorative pur- 

 poses, making them desirable for cut 

 blooms; but only for the daylight, as they 

 close at night. Their best use, however, is 

 in the aquatic garden. 



There are quite a number of blue water 

 lilies, but the following ten (comprising 

 both species and hybrids) are those most 

 commonly cultivated, and may be pro- 

 cured from any dealer in aquatic plants. 



Of the more deeply colored ones, the 

 most recent introduction is N. Grosherzog 

 Ernst Ludwig, illustrated on the cover of 

 this magazine. This is a royal flower with 

 petals of true violet-blue and centre of 

 golden yellow, its 



which are freely produced, cup-shaped, 

 and six to ten inches across, are delight- 

 fully fragrant, remaining open from about 

 eleven to five on three or sometimes more 

 consecutive days. Wm. Stone, another of 

 the violet blues, is not so intense as Zanzi- 

 bariensis, nor are the flowers so double, 

 the petals spreading out flat and making 

 of it a star-shaped flower. 



Two hybrids, very much alike, are 

 N. Pennsylvania and pulcherrima, the color 

 of the former being the brighter and darker, 

 the sepals in both unspotted. Pennsyl- 

 vania has cup-shaped flowers, with ovate 

 buds, the flowers opening from eight to 

 five on two or three consecutive days. In 

 pulcherrima the large light blue flowers are 

 star-shaped, eight to ten inches across, and 

 the bud is more slender and conical. 



Two other light blue lilies are N. cceridea 

 and N. Zanzibariensis, var. azurea, almost 

 alike in color. In caerulea the sepals are 

 thickly marked with black lines, the 

 flowers three to six inches in diameter. 

 In Zanzibariensis azurea the flowers are 

 larger — up to ten inches — the sepals 

 lack the black markings, and the flowers 

 are open three to five days. These two go 

 well together, for caerulea opens its flowers 



Nymphaa gigantea, a species of Australia 

 and New Guinea. But, alas, it is difficult 

 of cultivation, requiring more heat than 

 the others, the least chill making it sulk 



Grosherzog Ernst Lud- 



large flat blossoms 

 borne well above the 

 water on long stout 

 stalks. It is a vigor- 

 ous grower, free 

 bloomer, and re- 

 mains open from 

 early in the morning 

 to late in the after- 

 noon, a very desir- 

 able quality. 



Another of the 

 deeper forms, almost 

 a purple, is Nym phcea 

 Zanzibariensis, an old 

 friend. This is one 

 of the very best of 

 water lilies and has 

 stood the test of years. It is the easiest 

 blue lily to grow from seed. The flowers, 



A GUIDE FOR THE BEST BLUE WATER LILIES 



Zanzibariensis . 



Wm. Stone . . . 



Pennsylvania 

 Pulcherrima 



Caerulea . . ... 



Zanzibariensis azurea 

 Capensis .... 

 Elegans .... 

 Gigantea 



Violet blue 



Violet blue or al- 

 most purple 

 Violet blue 



Rather light blue 

 Light blue 



Light blue 



Light blue 

 Bright blue 

 Pale violet 

 Azure blue 



Star-shaped 



Cup-shaped 



Star-shaped 



Cup-shaped 

 Star-shaped 



Cup-shaped 



Cup-shaped 

 Cup-shaped 

 Cup-shaped 

 Cup-shaped 



G-io 

 o-io 

 6-10 



10-12 



S-io 



3-6 



6-10 

 6-8 



3"5 

 10-14 



DURATION 



Several days 



3 days 



Several days 



2-3 days 

 Several days 



3 days 



3-5 days 



4 days 

 3 days 

 5-7 days 



- Nymphaea pulcherrima. one of the longest lasting 

 light blue water lilies. Opens in the morning 



early in the morning, closing about noon, 

 while those of the other open about eleven, 

 closing at five, these two giving a continuous 

 daily flowering period. 



Nymphaa Capensis resembles N. Zanzi- 

 bariensis, var. azurea in the color of its 

 cup-shaped flowers, but is brighter, and 

 differs in having the leaves pure green 

 beneath, instead of bluish. The flowers 

 are sweet-scented, sis to eight inches in 

 diameter, and open on about four con- 

 secutive days from seven to four. 



One more lily, Nymphcea elegans, de- 

 serves attention, for it is a native of our 

 own land, growing from Texas and New 

 Mexico to Guatemala, all other blue lilies 

 being of Old World origin. The sweet- 

 scented flowers are pale violet, three to 

 five inches across, and open on three con- 

 secutive days from eight to one. 



No more charming lily exists than 



Nymphaea gigantea is the smart, attractive, all 

 round blue water lily, but it wants more heat than 

 any other 



and drop its leaves. It is well worth a 

 trial, however, if you are equipped for the 

 purpose, for its azure blue flowers, with 

 golden centre, are 

 perhaps larger than 

 any of the others. 

 Then, too, theflowers 

 last longer, five to 

 seven days, remain- 

 ing open each day 

 from about eight to 

 twilight. 



It is really un- 

 fortunate that none 

 of the blue water 

 lilies are hardy. This 

 need not really be 

 a drawback, for some 

 of them, the true 

 species, can be so 

 readily raised from 

 seed that all who 

 •will may have. The hybrids, which are 

 seedless, are more difficult to propagate, 

 and this must be done from bulbs or 

 offsets. If one has not the facilities for 

 raising these plants, they may be pur- 

 chased from the dealers at a comparatively 

 small cost, ranging from less than a dollar 

 to two or three dollars per plant. 



RAISING FROM SEED 



Sow not later than the end of February 

 in small pots or pans, covering them lightly 

 with sand. These should be immersed 

 in water at a temperature of about So de- 

 grees. Prick off the seedlings into three- 

 inch pots filled with rich earth, as soon as 

 three or four leaves have developed, and 

 keep them in water at a temperature be- 

 tween 80 degrees and 90 degrees in the sun- 

 light. Repot when necessary. 



At the New York Botanical Garden we 



Early morning to late 

 afternoon. 

 1 1-5 



Early morning to late 

 afternoon 



8-5 

 Early in morning to 



afternoon 

 Early in morning to 



noon 



«-s 



7-4 



8-1 



8 to twilight 



