Description of Nymphaea 'Escarboucle'

Nymphaea 'Escarboucle' is a hardy water lily with the RHS Award of Garden Merit, grown for big, warm-toned red flowers and strong pond presence. It forms rounded floating leaves from a rhizome and builds a broad plant over time. It is usually sold under the cultivar name Escarboucle, which is the best name to search.

Appearance

The leaves are rounded and often reach 20–25 cm across, with young foliage sometimes bronzed before it turns deep green. Flowers are large and described as orange-red to cherry-red, and many accounts mention a fragrance. In good conditions blooms can reach about 20 cm across and open early in the day. Some plants show paler tipping on the outer petals, which adds a lighter edge.

Care Guide

Give Escarboucle a sunny position and calm water. Plant it in a generous basket with loam based compost and a gravel cap. Start it shallower in spring and lower it in stages, aiming for a medium to deep position once established. Around 45–75 cm over the crown suits many ponds. Feed well with aquatic fertiliser tablets through summer and keep the pot topped with gravel so fish do not disturb compost. Remove old leaves as they yellow and lift out spent flowers. It is hardy, so keep it below ice level in winter.

Suitability for Garden Ponds

This cultivar suits medium to large ponds where you want a dramatic flower and strong surface cover. It can feel crowded in a tiny pond, so plan space for the leaf raft and leave open water for viewing. The pads give shade for fish and can help reduce algae by limiting light. If you want a bold red lily with a classic look, Escarboucle is a well known choice. Keep a small patch of open water near Escarboucle so you can enjoy the flowers from the edge. A wide basket helps Escarboucle spread evenly and usually improves flowering. Clear floating debris so buds on Escarboucle can rise and open cleanly at the surface. If Escarboucle makes lots of leaves but few flowers, feeding often helps more than changing depth. A wide basket helps Escarboucle spread evenly and usually improves flowering. If Escarboucle makes lots of leaves but few flowers, feeding often helps more than changing depth. If you lift Escarboucle for repotting, do it in late spring when new shoots are obvious. In ponds with fish, a gravel cap helps stop compost being disturbed around Escarboucle. If Escarboucle makes lots of leaves but few flowers, feeding often helps more than changing depth.

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