Nymphaea 'Chalene Straw'

Water Lily

Availability:

in stock, ready to be shipped

£0.00 - £0.00

£0.00

£14.99

£14.99 - £14.99

£14.99

Size Information

You can choose plants in various pot sizes. Non-potted plants arrive bare root for you to pot in the specified pot size.

Seasonal Information

Depending on the time of year, pond plants may be supplied fully-leaved, with flowers, or with foliage trimmed back.

Delivery Information

This plant is grown in the UK and sent directly from our tried, tested and trusted plant partner. Delivery price calculated at checkout.

Description of Nymphaea 'Chalene Straw'

Nymphaea 'Charlene Strawn' is a hardy yellow water lily grown for strong scent and a long season of bloom. Your row says Chalene Straw, but the widely sold cultivar is Charlene Strawn, and the spelling mix-up is common. It grows from a rhizome and makes a generous clump of pads, then produces fragrant yellow flowers through summer into early autumn. It suits ponds where you want yellow that does not look harsh and where you enjoy viewing from close up.

Appearance

This cultivar produces rounded leaves that can reach about 20 cm across, creating solid surface cover. Flowers are a clear pale to mid yellow, often described as soft yellow with a golden centre. The blooms are typically around 15 cm across and sit just above the surface in calm water. Many growers comment on the fragrance, which can be strong on warm days. Colour can look richer in full sun and slightly softer in light shade, but it stays within the yellow range rather than shifting to orange or pink.

Care Guide

Give Charlene Strawn full sun in still water for the best flowering. Plant it in a wide aquatic basket with heavy loam based compost and top with washed gravel. Lower it in stages so early growth does not have to stretch. Depth guidance varies between sellers, but many place it in medium water once established. A sensible approach is to start around 20–30 cm over the crown in the first season, then settle it into roughly 30–60 cm as the plant matures, adjusting if pads struggle to reach the surface. Feed with aquatic fertiliser tablets through summer and remove old pads and spent flowers to keep the plant open. Over winter, keep the rhizome below the ice line and leave it alone until spring.

Suitability for Garden Ponds

Charlene Strawn is often recommended for medium to large ponds because it can form a generous patch of foliage, with leaf spread frequently listed around 0.9–1.5 m. That surface cover gives fish shade and makes a sheltered zone for pond wildlife. In a smaller pond it can still work if you keep it in a basket and accept that it may become the main surface feature. If you like fragrance, place it where you sit near the pond edge so you catch the scent when the flowers open. Keep floating debris away from Nymphaea 'Charlene Strawn' so buds can rise and open cleanly at the surface.

FAQs

What size water lily do I need for my pond?

Choose a water lily according to the eventual spread of its leaves and the depth of your pond. Compact and miniature varieties are suitable for small ponds and containers, while vigorous varieties need substantially more surface area and deeper water.

How deep should a water lily be planted?

Planting depth varies by variety. Newly planted water lilies can initially be positioned in shallower water, sometimes by raising the basket on bricks, and then lowered gradually as the leaves grow towards the surface. Check the recommended final depth for the specific variety.

Do water lilies need full sun to flower?

Most water lilies flower best with plenty of direct sunlight. A pond in heavy shade may produce fewer flowers, although requirements vary between varieties. When choosing a water lily, consider both the available sunlight and the mature size of the plant.

Can I grow a water lily in a small pond?

es. There are compact and miniature water lilies bred for small ponds, tubs and other container water features. Avoid choosing a vigorous full-sized variety for a small pond, as it can quickly cover too much of the surface.

Why is my water lily growing leaves but not flowering?

Poor flowering can result from insufficient sunlight, overcrowding, an unsuitable planting depth or lack of nutrients. Established water lilies may need dividing and repotting when congested, and plants that flower poorly may benefit from an appropriate aquatic fertiliser where feeding is required.

What are the best pond plants for a wildlife pond?

The best wildlife pond plants provide a mixture of underwater cover, surface shade, flowering habitat and places for aquatic insects to emerge. A balanced pond can include oxygenating plants, marginal plants and floating-leaved plants such as water lilies. Native species are particularly useful for supporting UK pond wildlife.