Other Names:  Blue Lotus, Sacred Blue Lily of the Nile

Description:

A tropical water lily featuring magnificent, sky blue star-shaped flowers with yellow centers, that fade to violet-pink; easy to care for; water lilies dislike moving water; annual in colder climates

Ornamental Features

Egyptian Blue Water Lily features showy fragrant semi-double sky blue star-shaped flowers with yellow eyes and purple anthers at the ends of the stems from early summer to late fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive glossy round leaves remain light green in color with showy coppery-bronze variegation throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Egyptian Blue Water Lily is an herbaceous annual with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other garden plants with finer foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Egyptian Blue Water Lily is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Water Gardens
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting
• Bog Gardens

Planting & Growing

Egyptian Blue Water Lily will grow to be about 10 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. Although it's not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It is an excellent choice for very wet locations or locations with some standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. To help this plant achive its best flowering performance, periodically apply a flower-boosting fertilizer from early spring through into the active growing season. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

Egyptian Blue Water Lily is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.