Nymphoides JF Séguier Water Snowflakes

Nymphoides J.F. Séguier Water Snowflakes (Limnanthemum, Menyanthes, Villarsia) • Nymphoides are variously known by a number of vernacular names including Water Fringe or Floating Hearts; although very similar to water lilies in overall appearance, this genus is actually a member of the family Menyanthaceae B.C.J. Dumortier, the Buckbean or Marsh-Trefoil Family, and the flowers differ substantially upon close inspection from Nymphaea; Nymphoides offer floating cordate to reniform leaves with mostly five-petaled cup or saucer-shaped white or yellow flowers held a few inches above the water's surface; flowers are much smaller than those of most Nymphaea and the margins of the petals are often crisped or fringed; flowering occurs throughout the growing season, but individual flowers typically last but a single day. • Culture is easy in full sun to light shade; plants should be planted in containers to attempt to control their spread; growth is rampant, so much so that they have often been used as a nursery plant for fish cover until other water garden plants become established; the problem is getting them out once established; several species in the genus are on various invasive plant lists, so use them with caution and be sure to check for restrictions on the genus or individual species within it in your state; cold tolerance various among the species; optimal water depths also vary among taxa from 4 to 20 in depth; plants are often used in smaller tubs where their flowers and foliage looks more in scale compared to the larger Nymphaea; the banana-shaped tubers on the bases of these plants has made them popular aquarium plants, although often short-term due to lack of light and sometimes too great a depth of water; the following are among the more commonly encountered taxa. • Nymphoides aquatica (J.F. Gmelin) C.E.O. Kuntze (Limnanthemum aquaticum, Trachysperma aquaticum, Villarsia aquatica), Banana Plant, Big Floating Heart, or Fairy Water Lily, is famous as Banana Plant in the aquarium trade due to the banana-shaped tubers from which the foliage radiates; this Texas native offers interesting 6 long water lily-like heart-shaped leaves and small white open cup-shaped flowers; this species is useful in water gardens in USDA hardiness zones 7 to 13. • Nymphoides crenata (F.J.H. von Mueller) C.E.O. Kuntze (Limnanthemum crenatum), Fringed Yellow Snowflake, Wavy Marshwort, or Yellow Fringe Water Lily, offers interesting green blotched red heart-shaped leaves; although not as glossy as those of N. cristata, the leaves of N. crenata have more undulate to crenate margins; also the flowers of this Australian native are more open and flattened than those of most of the other Nymphoides discussed here; the five bright yellow petals are narrow and crisped along the margins; plants are reportedly hardy in USDA zones 6 to 10. • Nymphoides cristata (W. Roxburgh) C.E.O. Kuntze (Limnanthemum cristatum, Menyanthes cristata, Villarsia cristata), Water Snowflake, provides dark glossy green red blotched heart-shaped leaves and small five-petaled cup-shaped white flowers as its primary assets; the brilliant white flower petals are crisped or fringed on the margins and are cup-shaped but petals are not much overlapping; this Asian species is very aggressive and has been placed on some state noxious weed lists; it is hardy in USDA zones 8 to 13. • Nymphoides indica (L.) C.E.O. Kuntze (Menyanthes indica, Nymphoides humboldtiana, Villarsia indica), Banana Plant, Robust Marshwort, Trébol de Agua, Water Snowflake, or Water Fringe, offers multi- hued green heart-shaped leaves with undulate margins and beautifully fringed bright white flowers with a tiny yellow center; bloom is often prolific and over an extended time period; unfortunately N. indica is not as cold hardy as many of the other Nymphoides being useful in USDA hardiness zones 8 to 13; this species is native to numerous areas in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America and has become naturalized in the USA where it is now on several states' noxious weed lists. • Nymphoides peltata (S.G. Gmelin) C.E.O. Kuntze (Limnanthemum peltatum), Floating Heart, Fringed Water Lily, Water Fringe, Yellow Floating Heart, or Yellow Water Snowflake, has broader petaled cup-shaped bright yellow flowers and in most all respects resembles a miniature version of a yellow Water Lily; petals are much broader, tend to overlap more and have shallower fringes on the margins than most Nymphoides spp.; this species is native to Eurasia but has been naturalized fairly extensively in North America where it appears on several state noxious weed lists; although an attractive aquatic plant, N. peltata can quickly overwhelm smaller shallow ponds and slow moving streams; where legal, restrict use to locations where it will not escape the intended purpose; Nymphoides peltata is hardy in USDA zones 6(5) to 13.