Orchid lily

Care at a glance

Overview

Plant the bulb in a nutrient-rich substrate with the growing tip just at or above the surface, and leave it undisturbed since it dislikes being moved. It draws heavily from the substrate, so root tabs or an enriched base plus iron give the best deep red to burgundy color under medium to strong light. CO2 is not required but improves leaf density and size. It occasionally drops all its leaves and goes dormant for a few months in the tank; do not pull the bulb, just keep conditions stable and it will sprout again.

In the wild

Native to Southeast Asia, from Indochina through southern Thailand into northwest Peninsular Malaysia, where it grows in clear, soft, often fast-flowing forest streams. Unlike most water lilies it stays fully submerged, growing long narrow lance-shaped leaves from a bulb-like rhizome rather than floating pads.

Good to know

It belongs to the water lily family Nymphaeaceae and was described by Nathaniel Wallich in 1827 as the type species of the genus Barclaya. The plant has an unusual dual flowering strategy, producing self-fertilizing closed (cleistogamous) flowers underwater as well as open flowers that reach the surface. The leaves are edible and are used in Laotian cuisine.

Did you know

Did you know it is one of the very few water lilies that blooms entirely underwater, setting seed from closed flowers without ever reaching the surface.

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