Brandy Bottle (Nuphar lutea)

Brandy Bottle Pond Plant (Nuphar lutea)

Native deep water pond plant with floating lily like leaves and bright yellow flowers that add natural beauty, shade and wildlife value to larger ponds and lakes.

Brandy Bottle (Nuphar lutea), also known as Yellow Water Lily, is a beautiful native aquatic plant that thrives in the deeper areas of ponds, lakes and natural water features. This robust deep water plant produces large floating leaves that spread across the surface of the pond, providing natural shade and shelter for fish, amphibians and aquatic insects. Its bright buttercup yellow flowers rise above the water during summer, creating a striking display and adding colour to deeper pond areas.

The plant gets its memorable name from the unusual scent of its flowers. When in bloom, the flowers release a distinctive fragrance often described as slightly sweet with a subtle brandy like aroma. Flower spikes appear above the water surface from June through to August, attracting pollinators and adding visual interest to the pond during the warmest months of the year.

As a native British aquatic species, Brandy Bottle plays an important role in supporting pond biodiversity. The large floating leaves provide valuable shade that helps regulate water temperature and reduce excessive sunlight reaching the water, which can assist in limiting algae growth. The leaves also provide shelter for fish and amphibians, while insects and pollinators are attracted to the vibrant yellow flowers.

Nuphar lutea is a vigorous growing plant that is best suited to medium and large ponds where it has enough space to spread naturally. It grows well in full sun or partial shade and is one of the few deep water pond plants that can tolerate heavy shade and even areas of gentle water movement. When planted in moving water the basket should be securely anchored to prevent displacement.

For best results, plant Brandy Bottle in a suitable aquatic basket using aquatic compost and gradually lower it into deeper water so the leaves can grow up towards the surface. Once established this hardy plant requires very little maintenance and will return year after year, bringing a natural wildlife friendly appearance to the pond.

🇬🇧 UK-grown aquatic plant: Grown at a dedicated aquatic plant nursery in the South of England and carefully prepared for delivery across the UK.

Key Benefits

• Native UK aquatic plant that supports pond biodiversity
• Bright yellow summer flowers add colour and interest
• Large floating leaves provide natural shade for fish
• Helps reduce sunlight penetration and algae growth
• Hardy and reliable deep water pond plant
• Tolerates partial shade and some flowing water
• Excellent for wildlife ponds and natural pond planting
• Vigorous growth suitable for larger ponds and lakes

Reasons to Buy

• Classic native aquatic plant for natural style ponds
• Provides shelter and habitat for aquatic wildlife
• Ideal for deeper pond areas where other plants struggle
• Very hardy and easy to maintain once established
• Complements water lilies and other deep water plants

Care Instructions

• Plant in a large aquatic basket using aquatic compost
• Lower the basket gradually so leaves can reach the water surface
• Can be planted in still or gently flowing water
• Anchor securely if planting in flowing water areas
• Best suited to larger ponds due to vigorous growth
• Divide plants if they become overcrowded

Flowering Period

June to August

Size and Growing Conditions

Dispatching Your Pond Plants

Your Brandy Bottle will be carefully packed to protect the foliage and roots during transit.

Orders received by 11am Monday to Wednesday are normally dispatched on the following working day using a next working day courier service. During busy periods, dispatch may occasionally take an extra day.

To avoid plants being held in depots over a weekend, we do not usually dispatch on Fridays. Highlands and Islands orders using a two day service are not normally dispatched on Thursdays.

Available basket sizes:

• 1 Litre Basket – usually 11 × 11 × 11cm square; some varieties may be supplied in a 14cm diameter × 10cm round basket
• 3 Litre Hexagonal Basket – 18 × 18 × 16cm
• 10 Litre Square Basket – 29 × 29 × 19cm

Planting depth is measured from the top of the aquatic basket to the water surface.

Finofil baskets are manufactured in the UK from 100% recycled plastic and are fully recyclable. Their fine dual-mesh construction helps retain aquatic soil while allowing water and nutrients to reach the roots. Basket shape may vary slightly depending on the plant and supplier availability.

Explore more deep water pond plants or browse our complete pond plants range. Need baskets, aquatic soil or planting essentials? Browse our pond plant baskets and aquatic planting supplies.