Victoria Water Lily; Giant Amazon Water Lily
Victoria amazonica

Fragrant water lilies are large beautiful flowers in a variety of colors

Fragrant waterlilies are one of the most easily recognized of all the aquatic plants. Beautiful large white or occasionally pink many-petaled flowers float on the water's surface surrounded by large, round green leaves. Mature Nymphaea odorata leaves are often spherical, cleft at the base, smooth to 25 cm across, often purple on the lower surface, with most of the leaves floating. The leaves are attached to flexible underwater stalks rising from thick fleshy rhizomes. The horizontal creeping and branching rhizomes (2-3 cm in diameter) are attached by adventitious roots arising in groups below the leaf bases. The petioles leave crescent-shaped scars on the rhizome when shed. Showy flowers rise on long solitary stalks and are borne at the surface of the water or elevated slightly above it. The white (sometimes pink) fragrant flowers measuire up to 25 cm across and have yellow centers surrounded by 25 or more petals. After the flower has finished, the stalk forms a spiral and draws the fruit below the water. The fruit is a capsule 1-2 cm in diameter containing many seeds (2-3 mm long).

North Shore of O'ahu, Hawai'i

Victoria Water Lily; Giant Amazon Water Lily
Victoria amazonica

Fragrant water lilies are large beautiful flowers in a variety of colors

Fragrant waterlilies are one of the most easily recognized of all the aquatic plants. Beautiful large white or occasionally pink many-petaled flowers float on the water's surface surrounded by large, round green leaves. Mature Nymphaea odorata leaves are often spherical, cleft at the base, smooth to 25 cm across, often purple on the lower surface, with most of the leaves floating. The leaves are attached to flexible underwater stalks rising from thick fleshy rhizomes. The horizontal creeping and branching rhizomes (2-3 cm in diameter) are attached by adventitious roots arising in groups below the leaf bases. The petioles leave crescent-shaped scars on the rhizome when shed. Showy flowers rise on long solitary stalks and are borne at the surface of the water or elevated slightly above it. The white (sometimes pink) fragrant flowers measuire up to 25 cm across and have yellow centers surrounded by 25 or more petals. After the flower has finished, the stalk forms a spiral and draws the fruit below the water. The fruit is a capsule 1-2 cm in diameter containing many seeds (2-3 mm long).

North Shore of O'ahu, Hawai'i