Photo By pintail , used under CC-BY-4.0 /Cropped and compressed from original

How to Grow and Care for Prickly water lily

Prickly water lily, also known as Fox nut, Gorgon

Prickly water lily is a unique aquatic plant requiring specialized care. Key care points include maintaining a deep, cold water body that can accommodate its extensive growth and managing the nutritional needs to support its large leaves and flowers. Special care should be taken to control the spread within the habitat, as prickly water lily can become quite invasive if not managed properly.

Watering schedule: Every week

Sunlight Requirements: Full sun

In This Article

Planting and Growing Prickly water lily

Toughness	High
Care Level	Medium
Care Difficulty	Hard
Lifespan	Perennial, Annual
Watering Schedule	Every week
Sunlight Requirements	Full sun
Soil Type	Garden Soil
Soil pH	6-7
Planting Time	Late fall, Early winter
Hardiness Zones	7-10

A Botanist in Your Pocket

Scan QR code to download

Common Pests & Diseases

Feedback

Common issues for Prickly water lily based on 10 million real cases

Plant disease auto-diagnose & prevention

AI-powered plant doctor helps you diagnose plant problems in seconds.

Download the App for Free

More General Info About Prickly water lily

Feedback

Quickly Identify Prickly water lily

Feedback

Instantly identify plants with a snap

Snap a photo for instant plant ID, gaining quick insights on disease prevention, treatment, toxicity, care, uses, and symbolism, etc.

Download the App for Free

Prickly water lily is a robust, perennial aquatic plant distinguished by its vast, circular leaves that can reach 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 meters) in diameter and showcase a surface spangled with formidable spines, as well as striking dark green hue and deep purple veins. This species forms an impressive display, sprawling out to approximately 15 feet (4.5 meters) as a flat, floating pad. The plant reveals a twofold arrangement of flowers, consisting of a white inner corolla surrounded by outer petals of a profound violet. It flourishes in still waters with a depth ranging from 3 to 8 inches (7.6 to 20.3 cm) under full sunlight, yet it is susceptible to frost.