Perrys Baby Red Water Lily

Perrys Baby Red Water Lily (Nymphaea 'Perrys Baby Red') is the hardy water lily to choose when the water is small. It spreads only 60 to 90cm, grows in as little as 20cm of water, and still produces rounded double flowers of deep ruby red over neat dark green pads. That makes it a true bowl and tub lily.

Why you'll love it

• Sized for containers. It is content in a patio bowl or a tub, where larger lilies would crowd themselves out within a season.
• Rich, saturated red. The flowers are a deep ruby with many rounded petals, a strong colour against dark foliage.
• Small, tidy pads. The leaves are in scale with the plant, so a bowl still shows open water between them.
• Shallow water is enough. With 20 to 45cm over the crown it fits features too shallow for most lilies.
• Comes back each spring. It rests over winter and reshoots from the rhizome when the water warms.

Where it works best

Water bowls. One plant suits a bowl about 60cm across. It is the natural centrepiece for a courtyard or balcony water garden.

Tubs and half barrels. A single plant with one upright marginal beside it makes a complete miniature pond.

Small ponds. Allow 60 to 90cm of surface per plant, and set it on a shelf or raised pot so it is not too deep.

Growing Perrys Baby Red Water Lily in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, with five to six hours of direct light for good flowering. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens. Small bowls heat up in summer, so in hot inland areas a little afternoon shade on the container helps.

Soil and planting depth. Plant in a shallow pot of heavy loam, tip of the rhizome uncovered, with gravel over the soil. Keep 20 to 45cm of water above the crown. The water needs to be still, with no fountain spray on the pads.

Water and feed. Bowls evaporate fast: top up every few days in summer. Feed with a slow-release fertiliser tablet in the soil in spring and midsummer.

Pruning and winter. Pinch out old pads and flowers low on the stalk. The plant is dormant in winter, and a bowl can be left where it is. Repot or divide every two to three years in spring, since a small container is used up quickly.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Perrys Baby Red in 200mm pots, sold singly. One plant per bowl or tub is right, so order one for each container or small pond. Plants arrive potted and damp, not submerged, and should go into water promptly. Leaves marked in transit are replaced by new pads, and dormant plants sent in the cool months may have almost none. Sizes come and go with our growers through the year, so one can show as on backorder for a while. We confirm any backorder order with you before anything is sent.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Water plants that suit Australian ponds and bowls
• More plants for pots and containers
• Plants for small gardens
• Browse flowering plants

Common questions

What size bowl does it need?

About 60cm across and deep enough to hold 20cm or more of water over the top of the pot. Wider is better, as more water stays cooler and steadier.

Can I put it in a deep pond?

Not on the bottom of one. It wants no more than 45cm over the crown, so raise the pot on bricks or use a shallow shelf.

Does a bowl lily need repotting?

Yes, more often than a pond lily. Every two to three years in spring, divide the rhizome and replant a healthy piece in fresh soil.