Explore Longwood Gardens

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.