Features in short form
- Plant family: water lily plants
- Occurrence: Europe
- Locations: ponds, lakes, slow flowing rivers, sea bays
- Height: 50 to 300 cm
- Soil: soft, rich in nutrients
- 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, not very 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 high! The best known is the white water lily. It is the most common and is also known under the names 'water lily' and 'god of waters'.
also read
- Water lily: which species are hardy?
- Water lily: Native and tropical specimens overwinter
- Reasons why the water lily won't grow
Leaves, flowers and fruits examined
The water lily has leaves above and below the water. The up to 30 cm large leaves are leathery and those that swim under the surface of the water are curled up. 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 top.
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
- numerous stamens
- yellow scars
- slightly fragrant
After the flower has 'drowned', the fruit forms in the water. It becomes 5 cm tall, is quite juicy and capsule-like. When ripe, it releases the seeds it contains. These swim in the water until they strand and germinate somewhere. The seeds can be used to plant the water lily.
Tips
Attention: All parts of the water lily's plant are poisonous! Consumption can lead to respiratory paralysis, among other things
