Name: Nymphaea Almost Black
Brand: edenmere
SKU: ALMBLR10
Price: 59.0 GBP

Nymphaea Almost Black

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Deep plum-red water lily with striking bronze foliage, perfect for sunny ponds.

Choose your size

10 litre
3 litre
30 litre

£59

Delivery within 2-5 working days

Adds dramatic, dark plum-red blooms as a striking pond focal point.

Provides surface shade to support clearer, better-balanced pond water.

Gives shelter and cover for aquatic wildlife beneath its floating leaves.

Flowers over a long summer season for lasting colour and interest.

Deep plum-red water lily with striking bronze foliage, perfect for sunny ponds.

Product Details

Placement Zone(s): 3, 4
Planting Depth: 30 cm to 80 cm - Plant so the crown sits 30–80 cm below the water surface in still water.
Plant Spread: 70 cm to 90 cm
Flower Colour: Red - Deep plum-red blooms that create a dramatic, almost black effect.
Flowering Months: Flowers from June to September, bringing months of rich colour.

Growing Instructions

Open your water lily promptly after delivery, remove any wrapping, and place it into clean water to rehydrate before final positioning. Some softening in transit is normal, and most plants will lift again after a short period in shade. For fuller unpacking guidance, see Receiving and Caring for Your Pond Plants.

Plant your small water lily in still water in a bright, sunny position. Small water lilies are ideal for compact garden ponds and some larger container ponds, where they provide good surface coverage without dominating the pond. Always follow the planting depth shown on the plant label provided. Depth is measured from the top of the basket or soil surface to the water surface.

All Edenmere water lilies are supplied in aquatic baskets, ready to place straight into the pond. If the plant arrives in leaf and the final depth is noticeably deeper than its current level, lower it gradually rather than placing it immediately at the full depth. Avoid fountains, heavy splashing, pump outlets and fast-moving water, as lilies prefer calm water with leaves resting naturally on the surface. Once established, lilies generally perform best when they are not disturbed, so position the basket carefully and leave it to settle. For help choosing the right shelf and balancing the rest of the pond, see Pond Planting Zones Guide, Deep Water Planting Guide and Balanced Pond Planting Guide.

Care Instructions

Hardy water lilies are generally straightforward to care for once established. Through the growing season, remove any yellowing, damaged or tired leaves, and trim away spent flowers to keep the plant tidy and encourage continued flowering. In autumn, clear away foliage as it dies back naturally so the plant goes into winter cleanly. Water lilies are usually resilient, but routine tidying helps reduce stress and keeps the crown in better condition.

Feeding is usually beneficial in spring, especially in newer ponds, in baskets that have been in place for some time, or where growth and flowering seem weaker. A suitable aquatic fertiliser is the best choice. In richer, more mature ponds, feeding may be needed less often, so it should be guided by plant vigour rather than treated as essential in every case. If the basket becomes congested and flowering declines, the plant can be lifted and divided at the appropriate time and replanted using proper aquatic compost only in an aquatic basket. For products to support this, see our Aquatic Plant Fertiliser and Aquatic Potting Compost ranges.

Once a water lily is in its final position, it is usually best not to move it unnecessarily. Lilies prefer to settle and establish in one place. In winter, most hardy lilies can simply be left in the pond at their correct depth while they die back naturally; there is usually no special winter action required beyond removing dead foliage and leaving the basket undisturbed unless division is genuinely needed.

Water lilies are generally robust, but occasional problems can occur. The most common issues include water lily aphids, water lily beetle, China Mark moth and leaf spot. In many cases, removing affected leaves promptly and keeping the plant growing strongly is enough. More serious problems such as crown rot are less common but should be dealt with quickly by removing and destroying the infected plant. If your pond contains fish or koi, be aware that leaves, flowers and even baskets may be disturbed or damaged, so some protection may be sensible in vulnerable ponds. For broader aftercare, see Receiving and Caring for Your Pond Plants.

Growers Tips

Small water lilies are often the most versatile choice for compact garden ponds, giving good surface cover and reliable flowering without the scale of larger growers. In many smaller ponds, one lily is enough, especially when combined with Oxygenating Pond Plants below the surface and a few carefully chosen marginal plants around the edges. Avoid overfilling the surface too early. A pond usually looks and functions better when the planting has room to mature naturally.

If flowering becomes disappointing, the most common causes are too little sun, planting too deep, a congested basket, or a plant that would benefit from feeding. Smaller ponds also tend to show imbalance more quickly, so it is better to choose a lily that comfortably suits the pond from the start than to try to restrain a stronger grower later. For balanced planting around your lily, consider pairing it with Oxygenating Pond Plants and selected Deep Water Plants rather than relying on the lily alone. For wider guidance on pond balance and surface coverage, see Balanced Pond Planting Guide and How Many Pond Plants Do I Need?.

Wildlife Tips

Small water lilies provide summer shade, calmer surface conditions and useful refuge for pond life while still allowing a modest pond to retain open water. They are often a very good fit for ponds where you want wildlife value and visual balance without the heavier coverage of larger lilies. When combined with Oxygenating Pond Plants and a few well-placed marginals, they help create a more layered and resilient pond environment.

Try to keep some open surface visible rather than letting cover become too dense. This keeps the pond feeling balanced and supports light, gas exchange and movement. In ponds with fish or koi, lilies may be browsed, pushed or disturbed, so some protection may be needed if damage becomes persistent.

Ordering, Shipping, Tracking and Returns

Ordering & delivery

Some products are ready for immediate dispatch, while others are sold for a later delivery period so that they can reach you in good condition and at the right point in the growing season.

The expected delivery period for the product or variant you choose will be shown below the Add to basket button and again in the basket and checkout.

30 litre plants and some larger items are sent by specialist pallet delivery rather than standard parcel.

If your order contains products with different delivery timings, it may be split into more than one shipment. Plants or products that are ready for immediate dispatch will normally be sent first, while later-season plants will be sent when they are ready. This helps us send live plants at the appropriate point in the season and in suitable condition to travel.

For full details, please see our Shipping Policy.

Delivery costs

Add your delivery address and postcode during checkout to see the delivery options available for your order.

Current standard charges for mainland UK include:

£5.95 Standard Delivery
£49.95 Specialist Pallet Delivery – used for 30 litre plants and certain other larger items and usually delivered within 4-15 working days. Where needed, we or the carrier will contact you to arrange a suitable delivery date.

Highlands & Islands delivery options are shown at checkout. Current charges are:

Royal Mail from £5.95
Parcel Force from £24.95
Specialist Pallet Delivery from £99.95 to £174.95

The correct charge for your order and postcode will always be shown before you place your order. For full details, please see our Shipping Policy.

Tracking your order

After placing your order, you should normally receive an order confirmation by email.

We will also send a dispatch confirmation when your order leaves for delivery, together with tracking details where they are available.

If your order is sent in more than one shipment, you may receive separate delivery updates.

For full guidance, please see Track My Order.

Returns & problems on arrival

Because we sell live aquatic plants and molluscs, some parts of our policy work differently from standard retail.

Live plants and molluscs are perishable and are not suitable for routine returns once they have been prepared for dispatch.

If there is a genuine issue on arrival, please contact us within 24 hours using the form on our Contact page, with your order number, photographs, and a short explanation.

We will always review genuine issues carefully and fairly. Depending on the circumstances, the appropriate remedy may include a replacement, refund, or partial refund where appropriate.

Please do not send anything back unless we have agreed this with you in writing first.

For full details, please see our Refunds & Returns Policy.

Contact & business details

Edenmere is a trading name of Solilium Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales.
Company No. 16810551
Registered office: 128 City Road, London EC1V 2NX, United Kingdom
If you need help, please use the form on our Contact page.
The customer services opening hours are Monday to Friday 09.00 – 17.00.
If the matter is urgent, you may also call us on 01865 537277.

For full details, please see our Terms of Service and other policy pages.

Nymphaea Almost Black

Nymphaea Almost Black

Ordering & delivery

Delivery costs

Tracking your order

Returns & problems on arrival

Contact & business details

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