Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Crimson Water Lily bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Crimson Water Lily, Fulgens Water Lily, Red Laydekeri (Nymphaea 'Laydekeri Fulgens').

More about crimson water lily

About Crimson Water Lily

Nymphaea 'Laydekeri Fulgens' · also called Crimson Water Lily, Fulgens Water Lily · flowering

One of the most richly coloured of all hardy water lilies, 'Laydekeri Fulgens' bears deep crimson-magenta flowers with contrasting orange-red stamens from June to September. A compact Laydeker hybrid suited to small to medium ponds, it is exceptionally hardy and free-flowering. Leaves emerge purple-blotched, maturing to plain green, adding seasonal foliage interest.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Fading flower colour in very hot water: In shallow ponds in hot climates, water temperatures above 30°C can cause flower colour to fade from deep crimson to pale pink. Ensure adequate depth (at least 30 cm) to buffer water temperature.

The reasons crimson water lily isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming crimson water lily traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding crimson water lily a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get crimson water lily to flower

Maximise sun. Give crimson water lily the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for crimson water lily and get the feeding right with the crimson water lily fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Crimson Water Lily flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full crimson water lily care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Crimson Water Lily blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my crimson water lily flower?

Crimson Water Lily blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make crimson water lily bloom?

Give crimson water lily the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does crimson water lily normally bloom?