Description
Day Blooming Tropical Water Lily for Sale — The Finest Floral Display in the Water Garden
If you’ve been searching for day blooming tropical water lily for sale, Quinn’s Fins grows Nymphaea spp. right here in our on-site nursery greenhouse. Tropical water lilies are the crown jewel of the pond world — larger blooms, more vivid color, stronger fragrance, and more prolific flowering than any hardy water lily variety. Day-blooming tropicals open their star-shaped flowers each morning as the sun rises and hold them open through the late afternoon, displaying enormous, high-stemmed blossoms that float well above the water surface in a presentation that no hardy lily can match. Available in five colors — blue (SKU 6088-1), pink (SKU 6088-2), purple (SKU 6088-3), red (SKU 6088-4), and white (SKU 6088-5) — day blooming tropical water lily for sale at Quinn’s Fins ships bare root at $39.99 per plant, ready to pot and place in your pond.
Why Day-Blooming Tropical Water Lily Outperforms Hardy Varieties
If you’ve only grown hardy water lilies, tropical day bloomers will redefine your expectations. The differences are significant and immediately visible once you grow both side by side.
- Blooms held high above the water surface on long stems — a dramatic elevated presentation hardy lilies cannot produce
- Flowers up to 12″ across — significantly larger than most hardy lily blooms
- Up to 20x more blooms per season than hardy lilies when properly fertilized
- True blue and purple flower colors — exclusive to tropical varieties; not available in any hardy water lily
- Stronger, sweeter fragrance — tropical lilies are notably more fragrant than their hardy counterparts
- Decorative mottled pads — thin, lightly scalloped pads often marked with bronze, maroon, or purple for year-round ornamental interest
- Opens morning, closes late afternoon — reliable daily display throughout the bloom season
- Viviparous varieties produce plantlets on pads — easy natural propagation
Choose Your Color
Day-blooming tropical water lilies are available in five colors, each sold separately at $39.99 bare root:
- Blue (SKU 6088-1): The most sought-after color in water gardening — true blue is exclusive to tropical water lilies. Vivid sky-blue to deep cobalt blooms with yellow centers. A genuine showstopper that no hardy lily can replicate.
- Pink (SKU 6088-2): Soft to vivid pink star-shaped blooms with golden centers. One of the most prolific-blooming tropical colors — a reliable, beautiful classic for any pond.
- Purple (SKU 6088-3): Rich, deep purple blooms with golden stamens. Like blue, true purple is exclusive to tropical varieties and creates a dramatic, regal statement at the pond center.
- Red (SKU 6088-4): Bold, saturated red blooms held high above the water. A striking accent color that reads powerfully from a distance and pairs beautifully with green lily pads.
- White (SKU 6088-5): Crisp, pure white star-shaped blooms that glow in afternoon light and provide the most luminous, elegant presentation of the color range. Exceptional in evening-adjacent settings.
Growing Day-Blooming Tropical Water Lily — Care at a Glance
Light
Day-blooming tropical water lilies require full sun — a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight daily, with 8+ hours preferred. More sun equals more blooms. Position the lily away from waterfalls, fountains, and moving water — tropical lilies prefer still, calm conditions. Moving water reduces blooming significantly.
Water Temperature — Critical
This is the single most important rule for tropical water lily success: do not set plants out until pond water temperature has stabilized at 70°F or warmer. Setting tropical lilies out in cold water will stall growth, delay blooming, and stress or kill the plant. In most climates, this means late May through June at the earliest. When in doubt, wait — a tropical lily placed in warm water will establish quickly and reward you rapidly.
Planting
Plant bare root tropical lilies in a 2 to 7 gallon container using heavy loam soil only — never bagged potting soil or mixes containing compost, which break down underwater and cause crown rot. Mound soil in the center of the container, place the crown on the mound with roots spreading down, and add soil until it just covers the crown. Keep the growing point exposed — never bury it. Do not top with gravel or stone. Place the container in the pond at an initial depth of 6 inches below the water surface; gradually lower to 12–18 inches as the plant establishes.
Fertilizing
Tropical water lilies are heavy feeders. Fertilize every 2 weeks throughout the growing season using aquatic water lily fertilizer tablets pushed into the soil at the base of the plant. Do not skip fertilizing — consistent feeding is the single biggest factor in maximum bloom production. Under-fertilized tropicals bloom poorly regardless of other conditions.
Hardiness & Overwintering
Day-blooming tropical water lilies are hardy in USDA Zones 9–11, where they can remain in the pond year-round. In Zones 8 and colder, treat as a seasonal annual or overwinter the tuber indoors: lift the plant from its container before the first frost, remove foliage, and store the tuber in a sealed plastic bag or container of damp sand and peat moss at 50–55°F through winter. Replant in spring once water temperature returns to 70°F.
Bloom & Maintenance
Day-blooming tropicals open in the morning and close in the late afternoon. Each individual flower blooms for 3–4 days before sinking below the surface. Remove spent flowers by following the stem down to its base and snapping or cutting it off — this encourages continuous new bloom production. Remove yellowing leaves regularly. Watch for water lily aphids and water lily beetles during the growing season.
Ships Bare Root — Ready to Plant
Your day blooming tropical water lily for sale at Quinn’s Fins arrives bare root — a healthy, established tuber ready to pot directly into your pond container. Whether you select the blue, pink, purple, red, or white day blooming tropical water lily for sale, each plant ships at peak health and ready to establish. Follow the planting instructions above for best results.
Nursery-Grown at Quinn’s Fins
Every day blooming tropical water lily for sale at Quinn’s Fins is grown right here in our on-site nursery greenhouse — not drop-shipped or bulk-sourced. We grow what we sell.
For expert guidance on tropical water lily cultivation, visit the Pond Informer’s Tropical Water Lily care guide or browse our full selection of pond and water garden plants at Quinn’s Fins.
Day-Blooming Tropical Water Lily Details
| Botanical Name | Nymphaea spp. (tropical day-blooming) |
| Bloom Type | Day-blooming — opens morning, closes late afternoon |
| Colors Available | Blue (6088-1), Pink (6088-2), Purple (6088-3), Red (6088-4), White (6088-5) |
| USDA Hardiness Zones | 9–11 (annual or overwinter indoors in cooler zones) |
| Minimum Water Temp | 70°F — do not set out until water reaches this temperature |
| Water Depth | 6–16″ for best blooming; tolerates to 24–30″ |
| Light | Full sun — 6+ hours daily minimum; 8+ preferred |
| Soil | Heavy loam only — never bagged potting soil or compost mixes |
| Fertilizing | Every 2 weeks with aquatic lily fertilizer tablets |
| Bloom Season | Summer through frost |
| Ships As | Bare root |
| Price | $39.99 per plant |
| Master SKU | 6088 |
