Floating Heart is a tender aquatic perennial that transforms any water garden into a miniature lily pad landscape. Native to Taiwan, western India, and Sri Lanka, this rhizomatous species produces delicate, snowflake-like yellow flowers that hover above small, dark green floating leaves throughout summer. Hardy in zones 9-11, it thrives in 1-2 feet of standing water, spreading vigorously across the surface by producing new plants from its own leaves. At just 3-6 inches tall but capable of spreading 3-4 feet wide, it brings both drama and intimacy to water features.
Partial Sun
Moderate
9-11
6in H x 48in W
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Moderate
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Floating Heart earns its common name honestly: small, fringed yellow flowers that truly resemble delicate snowflakes emerge from June through August, hovering just above the water surface like something from a fairy tale. The plant reproduces in an almost magical way, sprouting new plants directly from its floating leaves without needing seeds. Its compact leaf size (just 2 inches across) gives it a more refined, elegant quality than larger water lilies, making it feel less like a bold statement and more like a secret discovery.
Floating Heart serves as an ornamental water plant for ponds, water features, and aquarium settings. In tropical and subtropical zones, it thrives as a permanent outdoor resident in standing water. In cooler climates, gardeners treat it as a seasonal addition, submerging containers in ponds during the growing season and moving them indoors before frost arrives. Its ability to thrive in containers makes it accessible even to gardeners without large ponds, fitting into smaller water gardens and aquatic displays.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
In zones 9-11, plant Floating Heart directly into standing water 1-2 feet deep after all threat of frost has passed. In cooler zones, submerge containers in water gardens from late spring through early fall. Plants spread by producing viviparous leaves that develop into new plants, so space initial containers at least 3-4 feet apart to account for spread.
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“This species hails from the standing waters of Taiwan, western India, and Sri Lanka, where it evolved to thrive in the specific conditions of tropical and subtropical wetlands. The plant remained relatively obscure outside its native range until botanical gardens and water garden enthusiasts began documenting and cultivating it in temperate regions, particularly in the United States. Its journey to Western gardens represents a broader movement toward understanding and growing lesser-known aquatic plants that offer unique ornamental qualities beyond the familiar water lily.”