The Waterlily BearBest Dwarf Tropical Waterlilies For Small Ponds
Mar/20/2026
Nymphaea ‘Dauben’ (syn. Daubenyana — Daubeny, 1863)
Pale blue tinged flowers in extraordinary abundance. Scales to container size, staying truly pygmy in a small tub. Blooms in shade, late into fall. Highly viviparous, extremely free-flowering, and withstands more cold than most tropicals without going dormant. The undisputed gold standard for tub culture.
Nymphaea ‘Colorata’ (Peter, 1928)
Pinwheel-shaped 3–4 inch violet-blue blooms with a dramatic daily color change at the flower’s center. Holds up to 8–12 open flowers per plant. Non-viviparous. Great for tubs and small ponds.
Nymphaea ‘Margaret Mary’ (George L. Thomas Jr., 1964)
Deep rich blue flowers on a compact plant. Heavy bloomer even in shade. Delightfully fragrant, with new leaves lightly mottled purple. Moderately viviparous. One of the most reliable blue tropicals for small spaces.
Nymphaea ‘Josephine’ (Florida Aquatic Nursery, 1997)
Pure white cup-shaped blooms of 3–4 inches, sweetly scented. Stamens develop attractive red tips late in season. Compact, free-flowering, viviparous, and shade tolerant. Fits any size pond.
Nymphaea ‘Patricia’ (W.G. O’Brien / William Tricker Inc., 1927)
Widely reported as the only pink-flowered pygmy tropical in the world and never equaled. Viviparous, moderate growth, well adapted to tub culture, and tolerates semi-shade. A legendary and rare cultivar.
Nymphaea ‘Royal Purple’ (Albert Buskirk, 1927)
Outstanding royal purple blooms 6–8 inches across with golden yellow sepals and a sweet fragrance. Easy to grow, compact in containers, and ideal for tubs or small ponds.
Nymphaea ‘St. Louis Gold’
Citron yellow medium-sized blooms produced in abundance. Lily pads emerge bronze-green and mature to solid green. Thrives rooted in small crates — specifically noted as ideal for tub gardens.
Nymphaea ‘Midnight’
Petite deep purple blooms with golden centers and a sweet fragrance. Dark green leaves with reddish-brown and purple undersides. Compact enough for a large aquarium or tub garden. One of the smallest-footprint tropicals available.
Nymphaea ‘Yellow Thammanoon’ (Primlarp Wasuwat, Thailand)
Small, free-flowering Asian tropical with slightly fragrant, light yellow, semi-star shaped blooms. Well-regarded for container performance in warm climates. Excellent for zones 10–11 and desert Southwest gardens.
Nymphaea ‘Snow Princess’
Dwarf tropical with pure white blooms from May through September. Responds well to regular fertilization. A clean white option that pairs beautifully with violet or yellow companions in a multi-variety tub planting.