FNPS Plant Database

Nymphoides aquatica

floating hearts
  • Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

floating hearts

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Nymphoides aquatica

Family:

Nymphaeaceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

ft

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

Phenology:

Winter dormant. Blooms when wet and warm.

Noted For:

Showy Flowers

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Water garden, planting of surface water management pond. Often used as an aquarium plant.

Considerations:

Availability:

Seed

Propagation:

Division

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded---------------------------------Extremely Dry

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Aquatic -to- Stays wet

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Loam, Organic

Soil pH:

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.

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Vouchered In:

Distribution
Vouchered
Not vouchered
Selected
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No county distribution is available for this plant yet.
Starting…
Map coded by Melissa Fernandez-de Cespedes (Paynes Prairie Chapter)

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators

Pollinated by bees and flies.

Native Habitats:

Water. Ponds, lakes, quiet streams, swampa, ditches, canals. This species can be seen in the Lower Hillsborough Flood Detention Area in Hillsborough County.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

This species is listed as invasive in parts of the world where it is not native.
FNPS Plant Print

Citations:

Les, Donald H. (2020). Aquatic Dicotyledons of North America: Ecology, Life History, and Systematics. Routledge, New York.


Osorio, Rufino. (2001). A Gardener's Guide to Florida's Native Plants. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. (1999+). Atlas of Florida Plants. ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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