EVERGREEN

Plant Encyclopedia

Nuphar japonica

Nuphar japonica (East Asian yellow water-lily, "Kohone")

Japanese name: コウホネ (河骨、川骨)
Scientific name: Nuphar japonica

Nuphar japonica

[Overview]
A perennial growing in shallow ponds and marshes.
A thick white rhizome creeps horizontally underground.
There are submerged leaves and aerial leaves, both arising from the base.
The aerial leaves are arrowhead-shaped, 20–52 cm long and 10–26 cm wide, and stand out above the water.
The leaves are thick and glossy, with entire margins.
The flower is borne singly on a long stalk extending above the water, and is yellow, 4–6 cm across.
What look like five petals are actually sepals, and inside are many petals formed from modified stamens.
The sepals turn greenish after flowering.
The fruit is a berry and ripens underwater.

[Uses]
The rhizome is used medicinally.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by division.
Plant it in a sunny place using heavy soil such as Arakida soil.
Keep the water at a depth where the leaves float on the surface.
For fertilizer, bury oil cake in the soil from spring to autumn.
In an aquarium, a water temperature of 15–28 °C, added CO2, and normal to strong light are suitable.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

[Notes]
The Japanese name likens the rhizome to a bone.

Details

Names
English: East Asian yellow water-lily
Japanese: コウホネ(河骨、川骨)
Life form
Perennial
Habit
Aquatic
Planting (or sowing) season
March, April
Flowering season
June, July, August, September, October
Distribution or origin
Japan (southwestern Hokkaido to Kyushu)
Leaf shape
Simple leaf (unlobed)
Leaf arrangement
Basal
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf notes
There are submerged leaves and aerial leaves.
Inflorescence
Solitary
Flower color
Yellow
Flower diameter
40–60
Leaf color
Green
Availability of seeds and plants
Low
Form sold
Seedlings
Propagation
Division
Sun exposure
Full sun
Water needs
Moist
Soil needs
Required
Tolerance
Cold tolerance
Suitable uses
Waterside greening, Aquarium
Uses
Medicinal
Japan Flower Trade Code
14328

Translated from our Japanese encyclopedia. If anything differs, the Japanese page is correct.

Sponsored