Colorado Waterlily: A Long-Blooming Beauty for the Pond

If you’re looking for a hardy waterlily that delivers beautiful blooms throughout the summer and often well into early fall, the Colorado waterlily (Nymphaea ‘Colorado’) is an excellent choice. Known for its distinctive peachy-pink flowers and dependable performance, this popular variety brings warm color and classic beauty to the water garden.

The flowers of Colorado are what make this waterlily especially memorable. Blooms feature a lovely blend of salmon, peach, and soft pink, often becoming richer in color as the flower matures. A bright yellow center provides a beautiful contrast, while the blossoms are held slightly above the water’s surface for an eye-catching display.

The Colorado waterlily is also prized for being a prolific and long-season bloomer. Once established, it can produce flowers regularly throughout the summer and continue blooming into September—and sometimes even later when warm, sunny weather lingers. Its warm coloring is particularly attractive as summer transitions into fall, complementing the changing colors around the pond.

Like most hardy waterlilies, Colorado performs best with plenty of sunshine. Aim for at least six hours of direct sunlight each day to encourage abundant flowering. Plant it in a wide aquatic planter filled with Pond Plant Potting Media and once-a-year fertilizer during the growing season. As the plant matures, its attractive green leaves spread across the water, providing shade and shelter for fish while helping reduce sunlight below the surface.

Another advantage is its cold hardiness. Unlike tropical waterlilies, Colorado can remain in the pond through winter in colder climates as long as its rhizome is positioned below the freezing zone.

With its unusual peachy-pink flowers, vigorous growth, and impressively long bloom season, Colorado is a standout hardy waterlily for anyone who wants to keep a little summer color lingering in the pond as fall approaches.