Nymphaea × laydekeri is an artificial waterlily hybrid of Nymphaea alba, Nymphaea tetragona,Nymphaea × laydekeri M.Vilm. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved June 12, 2025, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:605599-1 and possibly Nymphaea mexicana,Dana, E. D., Verloove, F., Guillot Ortiz, D., Rodríguez-Marzal, J. L., Paredes-Carretero, F., Juan Bañón, J. L., ... & Garcia de Lomas, J. (2017). First record of Nymphaea× marliacea Lat.-Marl.'Rosea'in the Iberian Peninsula: identification based on morphological features and molecular techniques. Bouteloua, 28, 132-139.Crewe, M. (n.d.). Water-lilies. Flora of East Anglia. Retrieved June 12, 2025, from http://webidguides.com/_templates/group_waterlily.html which has been naturalised in SwedenTyler, T. (2017). Nya och gamla näckrosor i svenska vatten. Botaniska Notiser: utgivna av Lunds botaniska förening (2001-), 150(2), 15-21. and the United Kingdom.
Description
Vegetative characteristics Nymphaea × laydekeri is an aquatic, perennial, rhizomatousKraehmer, H., & Hesse, L. (2024). Rhizomes: Hidden Stems with Unknown Diversity. p. 341. John Wiley & Sons. herbNational Gardening Association. (n.d.). Hardy Water Lily (Nymphaea ’Laydekeri Lilacea’). Garden.org. Retrieved June 13, 2025, from https://garden.org/plants/view/195078/Hardy-Water-Lily-Nymphaea-Laydekeri-Lilacea/ with branched or unbranched rhizomes. Roots emerge from the rhizome at the leaf bases. The small, green, circular, 22 cm long, and 19 cm wide wide leavesNash, H., Stroupe, S., Slocam, P. (2003). Complete Guide to Water Garden Plants. p. 103. United Kingdom: Sterling Publishing Company, Incorporated. are mottled with brown colouration but such colouration may be absent,Shaw, J. M. H. (2011). The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass. p. 425. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. as the colour may fade to green as the leaf ages.
Generative characteristics The small, fragrant,Bisset, P. (2015). The Water Gardening Idea Book: How to Build, Plant, and Maintain Ponds, Fountains, and Basins. United States: Skyhorse Publishing. diurnal,Nymphaea 'Laydekeri Fulgens' (Hardy Water Lily). (n.d.). Gardenia. Retrieved June 12, 2025, from https://www.gardenia.net/plant/nymphaea-laydekeri-fulgens pink or red up to 10 cm wide flowerPaul, A., & Rees, Y. (2001). The Water Garden. p. 113. White Lion Publishing. has a square receptacle with a recession around the peduncle.Schou, J. C., Moeslund, B., Weyer, K. v. d., Wiegleb, G., Lansdown, R. V., Holm, P., Baastrup-Spohr, L., Sand-Jensen, K. (2023). Aquatic Plants of Northern and Central Europe Including Britain and Ireland. pp. 62, 70. United States: Princeton University Press. The flower has 20 petals. The stamens are yellow to orange. It is sterile.Conard, Henry S. (1905). The waterlilies: a monograph of the genus Nymphaea. p. 229. Pub. by the Carnegie Institution of Washington.Lóczy, L. (1897). Resultate der wissenschaftlichen Erforschung des Balatonsees. p. 31. Austria: In Kommission von E. Hölzel.Blanchan, N. (2011). The American Flower Garden. p. 125. United Kingdom: Lulu Com. Flowering occurs from June to September.
Taxonomy It was described by Maurice de Vilmorin in 1891.Vilmorin, M. 1891. Les Nymphaea Rustiques. p. 21. Revue Horticole 1891: 17–22. The taxon authority appears to be disputed. Some sources list Maurice de Vilmorin,Nymphaea × laydekeri M.Vilm. (n.d.). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved June 12, 2025, from https://www.ipni.org/n/77325437-1 while others list Joseph Bory Latour-Marliac, or Édouard-François André as the taxon author.Nymphaea × leydekeri Hort.Latour-Marliac ex André. (n.d.-b). International Plant Names Index. Retrieved June 12, 2025, from https://www.ipni.org/n/605599-1World Flora Online. (n.d.). Nymphaea leydekeri Hort.Latour-Marliac ex André. WFO Plant List. Retrieved June 12, 2025, from https://wfoplantlist.org/taxon/wfo-0000382064-2024-12?page=1 In the latter case, the name is published by André but attributed to previous work by Latour-Marliac.
Etymology The hybrid name laydekeri refers to Maurice Laydeker, the son in law of Joseph Bory Latour-Marliac.Orme, F. W. (1981). Cyclopaedia of Coldwater Fish and Pond Life. p. 97. United Kingdom: Saiga.Alderton, D. (2019). Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish. p. 377. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley Limited.
Hybridisation It is a hybrid of Nymphaea alba, Nymphaea tetragona and possibly Nymphaea mexicana.
Distribution It has been naturalised in Sweden and the United Kingdom. In the UK, it has been widely introduced to old gravel pits, reservoirs, ornamental ponds, and lakes.
Cultivation It is cultivated in small ponds,Davidson, A. K. (2012). Zen Gardening. p. 152. United Kingdom: Ebury Publishing. in very shallow,Randhawa, G. S., Mukhopadhyay, A. (1986). Floriculture in India. p. 486. India: Allied. or in deep water.RHS Encyclopedia of Gardening. p. 296. (2012). United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley Limited. It is susceptible to Phytophthora rot.Cumo, C. (2013). Encyclopedia of Cultivated Plants: From Acacia to Zinnia [3 Volumes]. United States: Bloomsbury Publishing.
References