Description of Nymphaea 'Chalene Straw'

Your row reads Nymphaea 'Chalene Straw', but the commonly sold hardy cultivar is Nymphaea 'Charlene Strawn'. The spelling error appears in catalogues from time to time, so it is worth correcting for search and labelling. Charlene Strawn is grown for soft yellow flowers and a noticeable fragrance, with a fairly generous pad spread in good conditions. It grows from a rhizome and forms a clump in a basket, making it manageable even though it can cover a decent patch of water.

Appearance

Charlene Strawn produces rounded floating leaves and builds a good surface raft. Some sources describe leaves around 20 cm across, which gives the plant a substantial look without needing giant pads. Flowers are usually described as soft to clear yellow and about 15 cm across in many listings. Many gardeners grow it for scent, which can be strong on warm, still days. The blooms sit on or slightly above the surface and open in daylight. In full sun the colour looks cleaner and richer, while light shade can soften the yellow a little but does not usually change it into a different colour.

Care Guide

Grow Charlene Strawn in full sun in still water. Plant it in a wide aquatic basket with heavy loam based compost and cap with washed gravel. Start the basket shallow so early pads reach the surface easily, then lower it gradually. Depth recommendations vary, but many growers settle it into a medium shelf once the plant is established. Use aquatic fertiliser tablets through summer to keep flowers coming, and remove old leaves so the plant stays open and buds can rise cleanly. It is hardy, so overwinter it below the ice line in the deeper part of the pond.

Suitability for Garden Ponds

This lily suits medium ponds where you want a gentle yellow flower and useful shade. Many listings describe a spread around 0.9–1.5 m in strong growth, so plan space and avoid crowding it with other vigorous lilies. The pads provide cover for fish and help reduce algae by limiting light, but you still want some open water for viewing. If your pond is small, it can work as the main lily in a basket, as long as you are happy to divide it when the pot fills. If Charlene Strawn makes plenty of pads but few flowers, feeding often helps more than changing depth. A wide basket helps Charlene Strawn root evenly and usually improves the flower count.

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