Nymphaea 'Marliacea Chromatella' is a sterile hardy water lily hybrid that brings enduring elegance to ponds and water gardens across zones 4 to 10. This day-flowering variety produces fragrant, showy blooms that float gracefully on the water surface from May through frost, creating a living centerpiece that returns reliably year after year. Hardy water lilies are herbaceous aquatic perennials found worldwide, valued for their spectacular flowers and remarkable cold hardiness, unlike their tropical cousins. Plant rhizomes horizontally in spring in containers submerged 12 to 48 inches deep, and 'Marliacea Chromatella' will reward you with flowers that require as little as three hours of sunlight daily, though full sun brings the best results.
Partial Sun
Moderate
4-10
6in H x 72in W
—
Low
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This sterile hybrid thrives in still water with minimal fussing, flowering from late spring straight through to frost in hardiness zones 4 to 10. The fragrant, showy blooms float low on the water surface rather than reaching above it, creating a serene presence that works beautifully in water gardens and ponds of varying depths. Because it's grown in containers, you can reposition the plant later if your water garden layout changes, offering flexibility most aquatic plants cannot provide. Leaf mining midges and aphids may occasionally visit, but 'Marliacea Chromatella' is otherwise trouble-free, asking only for still water, moderate moisture conditions, and minimal ongoing maintenance.
Hardy water lilies like 'Marliacea Chromatella' are grown primarily in ornamental ponds and water gardens, where their floating flowers create visual focal points and contribute to the serene atmosphere of aquatic landscapes. They are also used in rain gardens and other water features where their low maintenance and long blooming season add color and interest from late spring through the first hard frost.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Plant rhizomes in spring with the bud end up in containers that are then submerged in ponds or water gardens. Position containers so the water above them measures 12 to 48 inches deep. When planted in containers, plants can be relocated later if desired.
Plant rhizomes directly in the muddy bottom of a pond in spring, positioning them horizontally with the bud end facing upward.
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“'Marliacea Chromatella' is a sterile hybrid within the Nymphaea genus, a group of roughly 50 species of herbaceous aquatic perennials distributed worldwide. The genus name itself derives from the Greek word nymphaia, referencing the water nymphs of classical mythology, a poetic naming that reflects humanity's long fascination with these flowers. As a sterile hybrid, this variety was intentionally bred to combine desirable traits, likely for hardiness and flowering performance, and is now a standard offering in water gardening because of its reliable cold tolerance and prolific blooming.”