American White Water Lily Plant Care
Castalia tuberosa Greene
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Nymphaea odorata, also known as the American white waterlily, fragrant water-lily, beaver root, fragrant white water lily, white water lily, sweet-scented white water lily, and sweet-scented water lily, is an aquatic plant belonging to the genus Nymphaea. It can commonly be found in shallow lakes, ponds, and permanent slow moving waters throughout North America where it ranges from Central America to northern Canada.
Full sun to partial shade
At a glance
How do you care for American White Water Lily?
American White Water Lily grows best in full sun to partial shade.
Where Is the American White Water Lily Native To?
What Is the American White Water Lily?
American White Water Lily (Castalia tuberosa) belongs to the Nymphaeaceae family within the Castalia genus. American White Water Lily is native to shallow lakes, ponds, and permanent slow moving waters throughout North America. American White Water Lily is also known as Tuberous Water Lily, White Water Lily.
American White Water Lily displays a floating aquatic plant growth habit, reaching up to tall with a spread of approximately . American White Water Lily produces large, showy flowers in various colors like white, pink, or yellow.
What Light Does the American White Water Lily Need?
American White Water Lily thrives in full sun to partial shade.
Light Requirement
Full sun to partial shade
What Soil Mix Works Best for a American White Water Lily?
Rich loamy soil with a mix of clay and organic matter. Good drainage is essential for American White Water Lily to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Do You Repot a American White Water Lily?
Repot every 1-2 years in early spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a American White Water Lily?
American White Water Lily can be propagated through division of rhizomes, seeds.
Is the American White Water Lily Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list American White Water Lily, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the American White Water Lily?
American White Water Lily is susceptible to aphids, leaf miners, water lily beetles. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
Keep exploring plants
American White Water Lily is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Castalia genus (family Nymphaeaceae) — search all Castalia species in the plant lookup.
American White Water Lily thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
Related Plant Care Guides
Closely related plants with similar care requirements:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Castalia tuberosa Greene, family Nymphaeaceae (first published in Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 15(3): 84. 1888 [2 Mar 1888]) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list American White Water Lily, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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