Description of Nymphaea 'Arcenciel'

Nymphaea 'Arcenciel' is a hardy cultivar for garden ponds, building a crown of pads with flowers held at the surface in warm weather. It forms a clump rather than running, so you control it with pot size and an occasional split. It is normally sold under the cultivar name Arcenciel rather than a separate common name.

Appearance

Variegated pads speckled and blotched with cream, pink and green. The pads lie flat and create a steady raft over the water. Flowers are white to pale pink-blushed, star-like flowers with a yellow centre. A sweet scent is often reported can be part of the appeal. Blooms open in daylight and close later, so the display changes through the day.

Care Guide

Place Arcenciel in full sun where the surface stays calm and the leaves do not get battered by spray. Plant into a wide aquatic basket with heavy loam based compost, then cap with washed gravel to keep the water clear. Lower the basket in stages so new leaves can reach the surface, then settle it at around 30–60 of water over the crown. Feed with aquatic fertiliser tablets through the growing season, pushed into the compost. Remove yellowing leaves and spent flowers to cut debris and keep growth moving. As a hardy lily, it can stay outside in winter as long as the crown sits below the ice line.

Suitability for Garden Ponds

Arcenciel suits ponds where you can give it about 80–100 cm of surface space. The pads shade fish and help limit algae by reducing light once the plant is established. Use one main lily in a small pond, or space several well apart in a larger pond so each has open water around it.

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