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Nymphoides peltata

Water buttercup

Common names: Water lily

Water buttercup

This description was machine-translated.

Description

The water buttercup (Nymphoides peltata) is a native floating-leaf plant for garden ponds, with rounded leaves resembling small water lilies. From June to September it displays bright yellow, fringed flowers that sit just above the water surface, attracting wild bees and hoverflies. It grows in shallower water than the common water lily, usually up to 60 cm deep, making it well suited for pond edges. The plant spreads rapidly via runners and requires a clear boundary in smaller ponds.

Care instructions

Plant the water buttercup in a container filled with loamy pond soil to facilitate later containment. Place the container in a zone with 20 to 60 cm water depth and a full-sun to partially shaded position. Starting in the second year, regularly check the runners and trim excess shoots before they cover the entire pond. Remove faded stems and wilted leaves in autumn; the roots remain winter-hardy in the pond and will regrow in spring.

Soil & site

Soil pH

4.0pH 6–7.58.0

Soil type

moist, nutrient-rich, loamy, clayey

LightFull sun
HardinessHardy

Feeding

Medium feeder

Diseases & pests

1 relevant

From the knowledge base, automatically linked by affected species. How to spot and prevent them is covered in full in the lexicon.

PestmediumMay–Sep
Brown china mark moth

Elophila nymphaeata

The brown china mark moth (Elophila nymphaeata) is a small moth whose caterpillars feed on floating leaved plants such as water lily and pond lily.

More on Brown china mark moth

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