An easy viviparous lily to grow in lower light water gardens is the charming Dauben or Daubinia, requiring only 4 hours of sun per day.
Dauben was the first official hybrid waterlily, (Daubeny 1863) and was crossed with the Egyptian Nymphaea caerulea (the Blue Lotus of the Nile). A truly mystical flower depicted in Ancient Egyptian art and cultural practices, and even found in the tomb of King Tut for the afterlife. It is not the ‘showiest’ lily in the water garden, but with its consistent blooms and light requirement versatility, it is not to be overlooked!
Features of Dauben/Daubenia
- blooms happily all year here in Hawaii.
- green pads with pale speckles
- versatile size from one foot spread or up to a 5 foot spread in bigger ponds, making it ideal for both small water container gardens or larger water features.
- can be ‘dwarfed’ to stay small which is great for small water gardens.
- Each bloom is white with lavender blue hues closer to the tips of the petals, and yellow stamens with pale blue frosted tips.
- Flowers are free flowing and can range from 1”to 5” wide depending on the size of the pot of dirt it is grown in.
- Prolific bloomer!
Perhaps the best thing about this tropical water lily is how easy it is to grow, producing 100 blooms a year here in Hawai’i! Each flower lasts four days, closing at night, with the first day blossom being a female and the second to fourth day blossoms being male (so…100 blooms a year that each last for 4 days each is…. A LOT of blooms!).
Not only does this lily bloom almost daily, but it is also tolerant of partial shade. Most lilies need 5-8 hours of full direct sun, however, Dauben can thrive in as little as four hours of direct sun, a day, making it especially desirable for placing in water gardens that get less light or dappled light. More sun will always be welcome for all water lilies, so four hours is the minimum light required to thrive for this variety here in Hawaii.
