Taiwan lily

Nymphoides hydrophylla 'Taiwan'

Also known as Nymphoides sp. 'Taiwan', Taiwan lily pad, Nymphoides hydrophylla Taiwan, Snowflake lily 'Taiwan'

FreshwaterRosettePlantletsSide shoots

Taiwan lily (Nymphoides hydrophylla 'Taiwan') — Obsidian Soul · CC0

Care at a glance

Light: Medium light
CO2: CO₂ beneficial
Temperature: 68–82°F; 20–28°C
Max height: 11.8 in; 30 cm

Growth rate: Fast
Placement: Midground
Type: Rosette
pH: 5.5–8.0
Hardness: 3–15 dGH
Spread: 5.9 in (15 cm)
Nutrient uptake: Root + water column
Growth region: Submersed
Difficulty: Easy
Family: Menyanthaceae
Origin: Southern Taiwan (cultivar of an Asian/African species)

Overview

Taiwan lily is an easy, fast-growing rosette plant for the midground. Shops sell it as a lily substitute.

Did you know

Taiwan lily is not really a lily at all. It is a floating heart from the bogbean family, not a true Nymphaea water lily.

Caring for Taiwan lily

Bury the roots in the midground and leave the crown, where the leaves join, just above the substrate. Taiwan lily is a heavy feeder that takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Give it a rich substrate with root tabs, plus a liquid fertilizer for the water column.

It wants medium light and grows without injected CO2, though CO2 speeds it up. It handles 68 to 82°F (20 to 28°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 8.

It grows fast, so remove the oldest leaves regularly, along with any that head for the surface, to keep it low and bushy. Left alone, it reaches the surface and floats its leaves like a small water lily. Young plantlets sprout on the plates of older leaves, so it multiplies quickly. Detach them once they have a few roots, or cut off a side shoot with a few leaves and plant it on its own.

Good to know

Taiwan lily is a cultivated form of Nymphoides hydrophylla in the family Menyanthaceae. It is often sold alongside bulb plants, but it grows from a leaf rosette and has no dormant bulb.

In the wild

The parent species, Nymphoides hydrophylla, grows in Asia and Africa, and this popular cultivar traces back to southern Taiwan. It is a lily-like marsh plant that roots in the substrate and holds round, bright green leaves on stalks.

Common questions

Does Taiwan lily need to be planted in the substrate?

Yes. Bury the roots and leave the crown, where the leaves join, just above the substrate.

Does Taiwan lily need CO2?

No, but it helps. Taiwan lily can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.

How much light does Taiwan lily need?

Taiwan lily wants medium light. A light sold for planted tanks covers it.

Does Taiwan lily need root tabs?

They help. Taiwan lily takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Root tabs near its roots and a liquid fertilizer cover both.

How do you propagate Taiwan lily?

Taiwan lily propagates by plantlets and side shoots. Small plantlets form on the plant and can be detached once they have a few roots. Cut a side shoot off once it has a few leaves and plant it on its own.