What’s in Bloom

Besides featuring a beautiful and colorful collection of hardy and tropical waterlilies from many regions of the world, we also showcase the beauty of our ever-evolving plant exploration program at Waterlily Court. As part of our growing focus on global conservation, particularly in tropical regions, we have prioritized recent work in Tanzania. Since 2023, Peter Zale, Ph.D., our Director of Conservation Horticulture & Collections, has made three expeditions to the region, concentrating on Nymphaea stuhlmannii, a rare yellow waterlily endemic to just 20 square miles of central Tanzania. Threatened by habitat loss from rice farming and grazing by hippos and elephants, this species had not been cultivated for over a century. Working with local partners, we located wild populations and were able to import live tubers to Longwood. By understanding its cultural needs, we were able to hand-pollinate flowers and produce viable seeds for our own collection. Now, the lemon-yellow blooms of Nymphaea stuhlmannii can be seen in our Waterlily Court, with seeds preserved in our conservation seedbank to help ensure its survival for generations to come.

Phlox paniculata is a perennial species native to the United States and grows in open woodlands, thickets and meadows.  'David' is a white-flowering selection which grows to a height of 25 to 40 inches, in partial shade or full sun, and blooms from late June until early September. Phlox paniculata 'David' was discovered in 1987 by F.M. Mooberry, respected native plant horticulturalist and former Horticultural Coordinator at the Brandywine Conservancy in Chadds Ford, PA.  Recognizing its horticultural potential, she named the cultivar 'David' in honor of her husband. This selection has since become renowned for its mildew resistance (a common issue with phlox), and has been widely propagated and celebrated in gardens across the United States.  

Another native milkweed featured in the Meadow is the fragrant swamp milkweed. Like the other milkweeds, it is a favorite food source for monarch butterfly larva and has seeds that are attached to silky fibers that act like parachutes when released from their pods.  But unlike the others, this species does well in moist to wet sites and can even tolerate heavy clay soil.

This native plant, like its garden counterpart, bee-balm (Monarda didyma), has tubular shaped fragrant flowers, ranging from pinkish purple to pale lilac, that are a favorite of hummingbirds and bees as well as a wide variety of butterflies. It is also grown for its showy flowers and for mint tea made from its aromatic leaves. It grow 2-4 feet tall in full sun or part shade and well-drained soils. In winter, the round, honeycomb heads of bergamot pods are one of the longest lasting seedpods in the Meadow.

Known for their beauty, the highly ornamental flowers of lotus are extremely fragrant and symbolic in many cultures.  Emerging from the murky waters into the bright clear day is how Nelumbo nucifera, also referred to as the sacred lotus, first became a symbol of enlightenment. The fact that the sacred lotus is able to emerge without any trace of the muddy depths from which it was born is how it became associated with purity. Further elevating its sacred status, it’s reputed that Buddha rose up from the heart of a lotus bud more than 2,500 years ago.

Culver’s Root, is a tall, graceful native perennial prized for its elegant spires of tiny white to pale lavender flowers that bloom in midsummer. These slender, candelabra-like flower spikes rise above whorled leaves on sturdy stems, adding vertical interest to meadows, prairies, and pollinator gardens. It is a magnet for a wide range of pollinators, including native bees, butterflies, moths, and wasps, and is especially valuable for specialist pollinators. Look for a variety of cultivars on display in other areas of the gardens.  

Phragmipedium China Dragon is a newer slipper orchid hybrid that was registered in 1996. One of its parents (P. besseae) was only just discovered in 1981. It is a terrestrial orchid native to the forests on the eastern slopes of the Andes Mountains.  The flower is reddish orange in color, with a pouch-shaped labellum and 4-5 inch long spiraling lateral petals. The bright color of this hybrid comes from this parent, while the long petals are from its other parent, P. caudatum, whose petals can reach 2.5 feet.   

Rudbeckia hirta is an annual or short-lived perennial that has an upright habit and can grow up to three feet tall. It grows naturally in fields, meadows, home gardens and along roadsides in ordinary, well-drained soil and full sun.  Like other plants in the aster family, gloriosa daisy's flowers have dark brown centers comprised of many disc florets and yellow-orange "petals" which are ray florets.  These cheerful flowers bloom the entire summer while providing nectar to bees, butterflies and other insects. Later in the year, birds will enjoy its seeds.

Find a variety of Dahlias on display on the Flower Garden Walk and the Idea Garden.  

Find other cultivars of Zinnia growing on Flower Garden Walk and the Idea Garden. 

Look for other cultivars on Flower Garden Walk and in the Idea Garden. 

The Victoria ‘Longwood Hybrid’ is a giant waterlily developed in 1961 at Longwood Gardens by horticulturist Patrick Nutt, who crossed Victoria amazonica and Victoria cruziana to create what would surpass its parents in vigor, flower, leaf size, and cold-tolerance. The genus Victoria was named in honor of Queen Victoria during the 19th century, when the plant’s discovery in the Amazon captivated Europe with its enormous floating leaves and dramatic, night-blooming flowers. The hybrid continues that legacy with massive blooms that open white on the first night, releasing a sweet, pineapple-like fragrance to attract scarab beetles, then reopen pink on the second night. Since the beetles are native to the Amazon, Longwood staff must hand-pollinate the flowers to ensure seed production and maintain the collection. The ‘Longwood Hybrid’ remains a living tribute to botanical innovation and the era that first celebrated its wonder.