Maha Treasure Hardy Water Lily

Maha Treasure Hardy Water Lily (Nymphaea ‘Mahasombut’) – Award‑Winning Red That Blooms and Blooms

The Maha Treasure Hardy Water Lily—known internationally as Nymphaea ‘Mahasombut’—brings a luxurious, cranberry‑to‑deep‑pink red to your pond with abundant, many‑petaled flowers. A modern Thai introduction and IWGS Best Overall New Waterlily & Best New Hardy (2018), it combines showpiece beauty with steady performance in full sun.

Expect a medium‑to‑large hardy water lily with a 3.5–5 ft spread, thriving in wide, shallow containers and flowering frequently when fed on schedule. Kept in full sun and planted shallow, Maha Treasure can reward you with blooms nearly every day in warm weather.

Planting & Care Instructions

• Plant Size: Medium–large hardy water lily

• Spread: ~3.5–5 feet (established) 

• Suggested Container: 15‑inch or wider aquatic fabric pot (wide and shallow for best bloom) 

• Planting Depth (from soil to water surface): 5–15 inches ideal; can tolerate deeper placements (up to ~30 inches) with fewer flowers. 

• Soil: Heavy loam topsoil only (no bagged mixes, peat, or “aquatic media”).

• Sunlight Needs: Full sun—minimum 6+ hours of strong, direct midday sun for reliable flowering. 

• Water Conditions: Still or lightly circulating water; avoid splashing over pads.

Fertilizing Schedule

• When: 1st and 15th of each month during the growing season (typically May–September).

• How much: 4 Waterlily World® fertilizer tablets per feeding, pressed 3–4 inches into the soil around (not on) the crown. With consistent feeding in full sun, plants can bloom almost daily in summer. 

Fragrance

Light, sweet fragrance that complements the vivid flower color without overpowering nearby pond plants.

Water Lily Planting Tips

• 💡 Plant shallow (5–12 inches) to warm the crown quickly and maximize flowering. 

• 💡 Give leaves clear surface space—no crowding by other water lilies or floating plants.

• 💡 Divide annually (spring–summer) if growing in a 15‑inch pot to prevent overcrowding and keep flowers coming. 

• 💡 Keep the crown slightly exposed above the soil line.

• 💡 If you need a top‑dress, a very light sprinkle of clean sand is fine; never gravel (it suffocates crowns and reduces flowering).

Do’s & Don’ts

Do

• Plant in full, direct sun and heavy loam for best results.

• Use a wide, shallow container if not planting in an earth‑bottom pond.

• Fertilize twice monthly on schedule for continuous blooms.

• Keep all parts of the plant wet during unpacking and planting.

• Divide when the rhizome reaches the pot edge.

Don’t

• ❌ Don’t use gravel, stones, “aquatic media,” or compost‑heavy bagged soils.

• ❌ Don’t bury the crown.

• ❌ Don’t plant too deep if you want frequent flowers.

• ❌ Don’t let plants dry out on arrival—pot up immediately.

• ❌ Don’t overcrowd or allow floaters to shade the pads; sun drives blooms.

Shipping Information

• Shipping Window: April through September across the USA.

• Spring Schedule: Ships per our posted calendar at proper planting time for your region (northern states ship later for safety).

• Weekly Shipments: Once spring begins, we ship weekly through summer, usually until or through September.

• Method: 2–3 day service (usually UPS); occasionally USPS or FedEx depending on destination.

• Dispatch Timing: Orders go out early each week to avoid weekend delays.

• Tracking: We email tracking details the day your order ships.

Arrival & Guarantee

• Shipped as: a live pond plant (rhizome with starter growth).

• Action on arrival: Repot immediately into heavy loam soil (or plant directly into an earth‑bottom pond). Keep rhizome, crown, roots, and leaves wet at all times.

• Minor yellowing or bent leaves can occur in transit and are quickly replaced by new growth.

• Concerns? Email photos within 24 hours (plant out of box + packing slip with initials) to PondQuestions@gmail.com.

Maha Treasure Hardy Water Lily – Specifications

About the Variety – Why “Maha Treasure” Stands Out

Bred in Thailand and crowned the IWGS Best Overall New Waterlily (2018), Maha Treasure (‘Mahasombut’) is celebrated for combining elite flower form with dependable, repeat blooming in full sun. The plant’s balanced habit—broad pads, frequent buds, and many‑petaled blooms—makes it a centerpiece in medium and large ponds or in wide containers on a shallow shelf.

Benefits of Maha Treasure Hardy Water Lily

• 🔴 Showstopping red blooms with a plush, many‑petaled look.

• 🌞 Sun‑powered performer—blooms heavily in 6+ hours of direct light.

• 🪷 Container‑friendly—flowers beautifully in a 15‑inch wide, shallow pot. 

• 💧 Hardy perennial—returns each year when planted properly.

• 📣 Award‑winning pedigree trusted by collectors and public gardens. 

Why Gardeners Love This Variety

Because Maha Treasure Hardy Water Lily delivers premium color and consistent flowers without fussy care. In full sun with regular tablets, it produces the kind of show you usually expect from tropical waterlilies—only this star is a hardy perennial that comes back, season after season.