The red water lilies were discovered by the botanist Bernhard Agaton Kjellmark in 1856. In response to ruthless looting, the water lilies were protected in 1905. During the 1980s, the number of lilies decreased whereby the cause is still unknown despite some research.
The flowers are found in different shades from light pink to dark red, caused by a mutation. The red water lilies in Fagertärn bloom approximately from midsummer to the second half of August.