Tiger lotus
Nymphaea lotus
Also known asRed tiger lotus · Nymphaea zenkeri (synonym) · White Egyptian lotus
Water parameters
Light and nutrients
Substrate type: nutrient rich. Propagation: tuber division.
Substrate compatibility
| Substrate | pH effect | Nutrient load |
|---|---|---|
| Aquasoil (ADA Amazonia) | lowers pH | very high |
| Mineralized clay substrate (Seachem Fluorite) | neutral / inert | moderate |
| Dirted tank (mineralized topsoil) (DIY soil substrate) | slightly acidic | very high |
With fish
Origin and habitat
The aquarium tiger lotus is a red-leaved form of Nymphaea lotus, the white Egyptian or tiger lotus, family Nymphaeaceae; the trade name Nymphaea zenkeri is a synonym of N. lotus var. lotus. The species is native to tropical and northern Africa, including the Nile, and ranges into parts of Southeast Asia, growing in still and slow freshwater. It is a bulb-forming water lily whose submersed leaves are broad and arrow- to heart-shaped, vivid red to purple-brown with darker spotting in the red 'tiger' form, the markings that give it its name; a green form also exists, but the red is far more popular. Left to reach the surface it opens floating lily pads and, in ponds, white to pink flowers. It should not be confused with the smaller 'dwarf lily' (Nymphaea nouchali) of the aquarium trade.
Outdoor pond use
- USDA zones
- 9–13 (winter low around -7°C or warmer)
Care notes
Plant the bulb with only its lower part in the substrate, burying no more than about half, since a fully buried bulb rots. Moderate to bright light brings out the deepest red and the dark tiger markings, while low light keeps the leaves green; CO2 is not required but improves growth and colour, and root tabs plus iron support the bulb and its red pigment. The plant constantly tries to send leaves to the surface as floating pads, which shade everything below, so most keepers clip the long petioles at the base to keep it a compact submersed rosette, which also makes it bushier. Growth is moderate to fast from a healthy bulb. Keep it around 22–28°C, tolerating brief dips to about 20°C, in soft to moderately hard water. It throws occasional runners with daughter bulbs. Bought as dry packet bulbs it is hit-or-miss; an actively growing potted plant is more reliable. One red tiger lotus makes a bold midground focal point. It is an ornamental, not a crop, so it is unsuited to media-bed aquaponics or hydroponics.