Water lily seeds: Nymphaea Caerulea (Blue Lotus)

Nymphaea Caerulea seeds close-up – blue seeds to scarify for waterlily culture

Star-shaped blue flower of Nymphaea caerulea open at the water surface

Blue water lily Nymphaea caerulea growing in a garden pond

Floating leaves and blue water lily flower in an ornamental pond

Blue water lily seeds Nymphaea caerulea

Name: Blue water lily seeds Nymphaea caerulea
Price: 9.9 EUR
Availability: InStock

15,90 €

These seeds of Nymphaea caerulea produce the blue Egyptian water lily. Despite its common name of blue lotus, this plant is a true water lily: its leaves float on the surface, and its pale blue, star-shaped flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon.

This tropical, non-hardy plant should be sown in heated water between 25 and 30 °C and overwintered in a frost-free environment. A mature specimen covers 1 to 1.5 m² of water surface.

Aquatic plant seeds

Format : 40 seeds

20 seeds

40 seeds

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The summary

What you receive: seeds of Nymphaea caerulea, the botanical blue water lily, in a packet of 20 or 40 depending on the size you choose.
Sowing: sow from April to June, indoors, under 2 to 3 cm of water kept between 25 and 30 °C, in full light. Germination takes 3 to 4 weeks.
Hardiness: this tropical plant withstands down to -1 °C and so comes indoors, frost-free, each autumn in mainland France.
Space to allow: a mature plant occupies 1 to 1.5 m² of water surface, at a depth of 30 to 60 cm.
Patience: allow 2 to 4 years from seed to first flower, with floating leaves appearing from the first summer.
Use: it is an ornamental pond plant, freely sold in France.

Blue tropical water lily to sow, 1 to 1.5 m² per mature plant, not frost-hardy

Nymphaea caerulea seeds produce the blue Egyptian water lily, an ornamental tropical plant for ponds. A mature plant occupies 1 to 1.5 m² of water surface, at a depth of 30 to 60 cm. Not hardy, it withstands down to -1 °C and so must be brought indoors, frost-free, every autumn. Allow 2 to 4 years before the first flower.

Nymphaea caerulea is the blue Nile water lily, the one you find painted on the frescoes of ancient Egypt. Its nickname of blue lotus is confusing, because botanically it is not a lotus, the Nelumbo holding its leaves above the water on a rigid stem while the Nymphaea lays its own flat on the surface. If you are after the upright habit, look instead at the Nelumbo nucifera lotus seeds.

A tropical plant, slow to flower

It is a tropical plant, which tolerates down to -1 °C and no lower. Germination calls for truly warm water, between 25 and 30 °C, and water at 18 °C gives only very patchy emergence. Allow 2 to 4 years from seed to first flower, as the first season produces floating leaves and rarely any flowers. The first flowers therefore appear on a plant that has spent one or more winters under cover.

🌿 Sowing, transplanting, installing

Your blue water lily goes through three successive environments, each with its own water depth: the seed tray, the pot for transplanting, then the pond basket. In the pond, place this basket in still water, away from jets and pump outlets, as a water lily copes poorly with constant turbulence on its leaves. Each flower opens in the morning and closes in the afternoon for 3 to 4 days, then sinks below the surface to form its seed capsule. For the rest, your maintenance is limited to removing faded leaves and dividing the plant in spring.

In a propagator

Sow in a tray of fine compost and sand, seeds covered by 1 mm, submerged under 2 to 3 cm of water at between 25 and 30 °C, in full light.

At transplanting

Once two or three true floating leaves have appeared, transplant one plant per pot filled with heavy soil and sand, under 5 to 10 cm of water.

In place

Install the basket 30 to 60 cm below the water surface, in full sun, in calm water, with 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day.

Keep the germinator water between 25 and 30 °C

Germination of this species only starts in genuinely warm water, which a living room does not guarantee in spring. A thermostat-controlled aquarium heater, placed in a tray of water in which the seed tray sits, holds this temperature without supervision, since it switches off once it reaches its set point. The same heated tray then houses the young plants through their first winter, at around 20 °C and under bright lighting.

❄️ Winterising, every autumn

Before the first frosts, take the basket out and bring it in somewhere frost-free. There are two ways to go about it: the first is to keep the rhizome dormant in slightly damp sand, in a cellar at 10 to 15 °C, the second is to keep the plant growing in a heated tub at around 20 °C with supplementary light. The first is simpler and suits anyone without a lit space, while the second gains you a season on flowering. The practical calendar also explains how to slow a pond down in autumn and protect it through the winter.

🌸 What the cover changes

Floating leaves shade the water column. Covering a third to a half of the surface strongly limits the growth of filamentous algae and green water in high summer, by depriving phytoplankton of the light it lives on. It also lowers the peak temperature of your pond and offers your fish shelter from aerial predators. Since an adult plant covers 1 to 1.5 m², a 3 m² garden pond keeps this proportion with a single plant, whereas a patio tub one metre across is entirely covered by one plant. Beyond two thirds of the surface, however, gas exchange is reduced and submerged plants lack light, so that dividing the plant in spring becomes a maintenance task and not simply a means of propagation.

Technical specifications

The plant

Botanical name: Nymphaea caeruleaAlso referenced as Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea. A water lily, not a lotus in the botanical sense
Hardiness: Down to -1 °CUSDA zones 10 to 12. Not hardy enough to overwinter outdoors in mainland France
Surface area per mature plant: 1 to 1.5 m²Spread of approximately 1 to 1.5 m across the water surface, to account for before adding more plants.
Water depth at maturity: 30 to 60 cmAbove the crown. The plant tolerates water depths of 25 to 90 cm
Flower: Pale blue, 10 to 20 cmStar-shaped, with a yellow stamen centre. Open in the morning, closed in the afternoon
Flowering: From July to SeptemberIn mainland France, on an already established root stock

Seedling and germination

Sowing period: From April to JuneIndoors or in a greenhouse. The limiting factor is water temperature, not the time of year
Scarification: Not requiredUnlike Nelumbo lotus seeds, which do need to be filed.
Water temperature: 25 to 30 °CFor germination. Below 20 °C, emergence becomes very uneven.
Water depth at seedling stage: 2 to 3 cmJust above the grow medium, no more. Seedlings need to reach the surface quickly
Seedling depth: 1 mm of grow mediumFine compost and sand. A simple layer to hold the seedling in place.
Light: RequiredLight triggers germination in this species. Do not cover the propagator.
Germination period: 3 to 4 weeksAt 25 to 30 °C and in full light. Below 20 °C, germination becomes very uneven.
First flowering: 2 to 4 yearsFrom seed. The first season produces floating leaves, rarely flowers.

At the pond and the bag

Flower lifespan: 3 to 4 daysIt then submerges to form the seed capsule.
Leaves: Floating, up to 40 cmRound and split, green then marked with brown towards the end of the season
Aspect: Full sun6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day as a minimum
Water movement: Still waterKeep away from jets, waterfalls and pump outlets
Overwintering: Frost-free, essentialDormant rhizome in damp sand at 10 to 15 °C, or a heated tray at around 20 °C
Routine maintenance: Removing dead leavesAnd division of the crown in spring, once a year, for plants grown in baskets
Seed size: Approximately 2 mmSmall and dark, not to be confused with the lotus seed, which is hard and olive-sized.
Storage: In water, in the darkBetween 8 and 12 °C. Sow in the season following delivery.

To budget for separately

Basket and grow medium: Heavy soil and sandTwo thirds non-peaty garden soil, one third sand, in a slotted pond basket.
Heat for seedlings: Water kept at 25 to 30 °CA heat mat or heated propagation area is essential: below 20 °C, germination becomes very uneven.

16 further specifications are available in the detailed view.

In the box

1 resealable sachet labelled with the botanical name
20 or 40 Nymphaea caerulea seeds, depending on the format chosen

Germination, spread, water depth and hardiness: values published by national botanic gardens and specialist growers, retrieved on 10/09/2026. The figures used are the most conservative for metropolitan France.

Blue water lily or Nelumbo lotus: two seeds, two growing methods

Both are sown in a pond and share the word lotus, but nothing about their care is the same, from seedling to overwintering.

Two aquatic plants that everyday language tends to confuse The blue water lily is tropical: it tolerates down to -1 °C and comes indoors, frost-free, every autumn. Several Nelumbo lotuses overwinter outdoors. This point is settled first, the habit of the leaves second.

	Leaves	Flower colour	Seed size	Scarification before sowing	Hardiness	Frost-free overwintering
Recommended Blue water lily seeds Nymphaea caeruleaYour choice	Flat on the water	Pale blue to lavender	Around 2 mm, tender	Unnecessary	Tropical, down to -1 °C	Mandatory
Sacred pink lotus seeds, Nelumbo nuciferaYour choice	Standing above the water	Pink	Hard, olive-sized	Seed coat to file	Several varieties overwinter outdoors	Depending on variety

Blue water lily seeds Nymphaea caeruleaRecommended

The port

LeavesFlat on the water

Flower colourPale blue to lavender

The seedling

Seed sizeAround 2 mm, tender

Scarification before sowingUnnecessary

At the pond

HardinessTropical, down to -1 °C

Frost-free overwinteringMandatory

Sacred pink lotus seeds, Nelumbo nucifera

The port

LeavesStanding above the water

Flower colourPink

The seedling

Seed sizeHard, olive-sized

Scarification before sowingSeed coat to file

At the pond

HardinessSeveral varieties overwinter outdoors

Frost-free overwinteringDepending on variety

Habit, seed, seedling and hardiness from botanical gardens and specialist growers, recorded on 10/09/2026.

Estimate your
delivery time

A packet of seeds is sent as a small parcel and can be combined at no extra cost with the rest of your order. The exact amount is calculated in the basket. Outside France, check the status of the species in your country before ordering: it is prohibited in Poland, Latvia and Russia, and regulated in the United Kingdom. Plant or living organism: this product is excluded from the right of withdrawal (article L221-28, 4° of the French Consumer Code), because it deteriorates quickly.

Frequently asked questions

6 questions

6 key questions

Is the sale and cultivation of Nymphaea caerulea permitted in France?

Yes: the plant is not on the French list of substances classified as narcotics, and it is sold freely as an ornamental pond plant. It is, however, not authorised as a foodstuff or as a supplement in the European Union.

The status varies from one country to another. The species is prohibited in Poland, Latvia and Russia, and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016. If you are ordering from one of these countries, check the regulations in force before placing your order.

This page describes an ornamental crop only. No other use is offered, described or recommended.

How do you germinate Nymphaea caerulea seeds?

Fill a seed tray with fine compost mixed with sand, moistened and firmed down.
Place the seeds on the surface and cover them with about 1 mm of grow medium, no more.
Submerge the tray under only 2 to 3 cm of water.
Keep the water between 25 and 30 °C, in full light, uncovered.
Replace some of the water every 3 days to limit algae.
Allow 3 to 4 weeks for germination, then transplant one seedling per pot as soon as it has two to three true floating leaves.

Water temperature is the tipping point: below 20 °C, germination becomes very uneven. A warm spot is essential, as with any early sowing described in the guide on setting up an indoor seed-starting area.

Do water lily seeds need scarifying or filing?

What is the difference between Nymphaea caerulea and the lotus Nelumbo?

Criterion	Nymphaea caerulea	Lotus Nelumbo
Habit	leaves lying flat on the water	leaves held above the water on a rigid stem
Seed	about 2 mm, soft	hard, the size of an olive
Seedling	no scarification needed	very hard seed coat, to be filed before soaking
Hardiness	tropical	several Nelumbo overwinter outdoors, with the rhizome kept clear of frost

The pink sacred lotus seeds Nelumbo nucifera are ordered from their own product page. The article on lotuses in aquaponics goes back over what distinguishes the two genera.

What germination rate should you expect?

Can the blue water lily be grown in an aquarium or in aquaponics?

In a heated aquarium, yes, as long as the plant is young. It is even a convenient way to get through the first winter, in water at around 20 to 25 °C with bright lighting. An adult plant, however, needs 1 to 1.5 m² of open surface and quickly becomes unmanageable in a tank.

In aquaponics, the value is ornamental, not nutritional. The plant is not a vegetable and does not consume nitrates at the rate of a market-garden crop; it shades and decorates the pond section of a system. The article on lotus in aquaponics sets out the background, and the list of plants to grow in aquaponics shows which ones really play a nutritional role.

Growing calendar

These timings apply to mainland France and should be shifted by around two weeks depending on your region. The date matters less than the water temperature: that is what triggers or prevents germination.

Stage
Indoor seedlings3 months	Indoor seedlings: no	Indoor seedlings: no	Indoor seedlings: no	Indoor seedlings in April	Indoor seedlings in May	Indoor seedlings in June	Indoor seedlings: no	Indoor seedlings: no	Indoor seedlings: no	Indoor seedlings: no	Indoor seedlings: no	Indoor seedlings: no
Transplanting into pots3 months	Transplanting into pots: no	Transplanting into pots: no	Transplanting into pots: no	Transplanting into pots: no	Transplanting into pots in May	Transplanting into pots in June	Transplanting into pots in July	Transplanting into pots: no	Transplanting into pots: no	Transplanting into pots: no	Transplanting into pots: no	Transplanting into pots: no
Introducing to the pond3 months	Introducing to the pond: no	Introducing to the pond: no	Introducing to the pond: no	Introducing to the pond: no	Introducing to the pond: no	Introducing to the pond in June	Introducing to the pond in July	Introducing to the pond in August	Introducing to the pond: no	Introducing to the pond: no	Introducing to the pond: no	Introducing to the pond: no
Flowering3 months	Flowering: no	Flowering: no	Flowering: no	Flowering: no	Flowering: no	Flowering: no	Flowering in July	Flowering in August	Flowering in September	Flowering: no	Flowering: no	Flowering: no
Frost-free overwintering6 months	Frost-free overwintering in January	Frost-free overwintering in February	Frost-free overwintering in March	Frost-free overwintering: no	Frost-free overwintering: no	Frost-free overwintering: no	Frost-free overwintering: no	Frost-free overwintering: no	Frost-free overwintering: no	Frost-free overwintering in October	Frost-free overwintering in November	Frost-free overwintering in December

KeyIndoor seedlingsTransplanting into potsIntroducing to the pondFloweringFrost-free overwintering

This month November

Growing guidance

Seedling period: April to JuneIndoors, water temperature takes priority over the time of year
Water temperature at seedling stage: 25 to 30 °CBelow 20 °C, germination becomes very uneven
Water depth at seedling stage: 2 à 3 cmJust above the grow medium, no higher
Sowing depth: 1 mmA thin layer of fine compost and sand
Scarification: UnnecessaryUnlike Nelumbo lotus seeds
Germination time: 3 to 4 weeksConvergent value across the sources consulted
First flowering: 2 to 4 yearsFrom seed, not from transplanting
Surface area per mature plant: 1 to 1.5 m²This figure determines the quantity to order
Water depth at maturity: 30 to 60 cmAbove the collar, reached gradually
Exposure: Full sun6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day
Hardiness: -1 °CZone USDA 10 to 12, frost-free overwintering required
Crown division: Once a yearIn spring, on specimens grown in a basket

What you need to know

The water temperature is the one parameter that makes or breaks germination. A propagator placed on a radiator or a heat mat will sprout; the same propagator on a windowsill at 18 °C will not, and the seeds are wrongly assumed to be faulty.
Do not cover the propagator with an opaque sheet: in this species, light plays a part in triggering germination. A transparent lid is suitable for retaining warmth; a piece of cardboard is not.
Do not swamp the seedlings. At sowing, 2 to 3 cm of water is sufficient, and the level should only be raised as the leaves reach the surface. A seedling that cannot reach the light will exhaust itself within a few days.
Replace part of the water in the propagator every three days. In warm, well-lit water, filamentous algae establish themselves quickly and smother young shoots.
Use a heavy garden soil mixed with sand, never a peat-based compost from a garden centre: peat compost floats, clouds the water for weeks, and feeds algae far more than it feeds the plant.
Keep the basket away from any waterfall, jet, or pump outlet. Nymphaea tolerates constant water movement poorly, its leaves tear and flowering becomes less frequent.
Remove the basket before the first night at zero degrees, not after. The plant can withstand down to -1 °C, but a single hard frost is enough to lose a three-year-old plant.
Divide the rootstock in spring, once a year. A rhizome left overcrowded in its basket for several seasons will produce an abundance of leaves and fewer and fewer flowers.

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Blue water lily seeds Nymphaea caerulea

The summary