All flowers
Amazon Water Lily Wikimedia Commons
Nymphaeaceae

Amazon Water Lily

Victoria amazonica

Grandeur and transformation.

Family
Nymphaeaceae
Genus
Victoria
Native to
South America
Bloom season
Summer
Type
aquatic annual
Height
0.5 ft above water
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
rich aquatic mud
Water
high
Hardiness
11-12
Lifespan
annual

Did you know

  • The circular leaves can grow up to 10 feet across and support the weight of a small child due to their ribbed underside structure.
  • The leaf's structural ribs inspired Joseph Paxton's design for the Crystal Palace at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London.
  • Flowers open white on the first night and turn pink on the second night, trapping beetle pollinators inside overnight.
  • The underside of each leaf is covered in sharp spines that protect it from herbivorous fish.
  • The genus was named in honor of Queen Victoria when the plant first flowered in cultivation in England in 1849.

Color meanings

0

grandeur

1

transformation

2

natural engineering

Uses

  • ornamental water gardens
  • botanical gardens
  • architectural inspiration