Water lilies are like dandelions and roses - everyone knows what they look like. But water lilies are something very special. Below you can read about the characteristics of these aquatic plants and what their requirements are!
The water lily grows in both flowing and still waters
Features in brief
- Plant Family: Water Lilies
- Occurrence: Europe
- Locations: ponds, lakes, slow-flowing rivers, sea bays
- Growth height: 50 to 300 cm
- Soil: soft, nutritious
- Flowering period: June to August
- Flower: 5 to 20 cm wide, white
- Fruit: berry, capsule-like
- Leaves: dark green, glossy, floating and water leaves
- Roots: creeping, little branched
- Propagation: division, sowing
- Special feature: poisonous
Many names - more than around 40 species
This plant from the Nymphaeaceae family, of which there are more than 40 species, has the longest stems of the flora native to this country. They grow up to 3 m tall! The best known is the white water lily. It is the most common and is also known by the names 'water lily' and 'divinity of the waters'.
Leaves, flowers and fruits inspected
The water lily has leaves above and below the water. The leaves, up to 30 cm in size, are leathery and those that swim under the water surface are curled. The shape of the leaves is kidney-shaped to heart-shaped. Their color describes a dark green that gives off a slight sheen on the upper side.
The flowers have these characteristics:
- floating on the water surface
- up to 20 cm wide
- 4 sepals
- 20 petals
- mostly white, less often red
- hermaphroditic structure
- numerous stamens
- yellow scars
- faintly scented
After the flower has 'drowned', the fruit develops in the water. It grows to 5 cm, is quite juicy and capsule-like. Upon maturity, it releases its contained seeds. These swim in the water until they get stranded somewhere and germinate. You can use the seeds to plant the water lily.
tips
Caution: All parts of the water lily plant are poisonous! Consumption can lead to respiratory paralysis, among other things