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Plants / Bulbs & Tubers
Red tiger lotus
Bulbs & Tubers

Red tiger lotus

Nymphaea lotus L. (red form; trade name 'red tiger lotus')

An African water lily grown from a bulb, with red-brown leaves; if allowed to grow floating leaves it can flower in open tanks.

Needs

Care levelModerate
LightMedium
CO₂Not needed
GrowthMedium
HeightUp to 80 cm
Temperature22–28 °C
WhereBack of the tank
Feeds throughRoots (use root tabs)
FamilyNymphaeaceae
Native toTropical Africa and Madagascar (POWO lists natives from Egypt and Senegal south to KwaZulu-Natal, plus Madagascar); introduced in Florida, Louisiana, parts of tropical America and elsewhere
Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. See sources

How to keep it

  • Medium to high light
  • Nutrient-rich substrate (root tabs)
  • Cut off floating leaves early to keep it growing underwater
  • Plant in a pot to limit its size
  • Letting it reach the surface (it then makes almost only floating leaves)
  • Small tanks: it grows very large

Sources

13 facts checked with sources