33 Water Lily Facts: A Flower You Will Want To See And Smell!

Most water lilies prefer temperate climates and are found in the tropical parts of the world.

Sometimes the entire set up can weigh up to 200 lb (90.7 kg). They also come in a variety of colors, including pink, white, and yellow.

A similar plant, the peace lily, must be watered around once a week. Unlike the water lily, a lotus has thin, papery leaves. If you're looking for a beautiful flower to see and smell, water lilies are definitely among the best! In this article, we will discuss 33 interesting facts about water lilies.

Environmental Factors

In this section, we will discuss different environmental factors related to the growth and cultivation of water lilies.

Water lilies are very particular about the water they live in. The water must be clean and free of pollutants.

Water lilies are known for trapping sediments at the outlet of lakes and ponds. This way they develop shallow water for their expansion.

They are often grown in aquariums with fish and other aquatic animals.

These tropical plants can also increase the phosphorous level of water and affect the overall water quality of ponds and lakes.

The stagnant areas created by water lilies eventually become an excellent breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Floating on the water surface, water lilies absorb a lot of sunlight, which in turn, increases the temperature of the water.

Decorative Usages Of A Water Lily

This section of the article will be dedicated to various decorative usages of water lilies.

Water lilies are often used as decorations in ponds and lakes.

They can also be used in floral arrangements.

Water lilies have a long history of being used in art, literature, and poetry.

These flowers can also be used as indoor decorations. For example, you can put a water lily in a vase or bowl and place it on the table.

In addition to their visual beauty, water lilies can also be used indoors as a room freshener since they are extremely fragrant.

Besides all these, you can also cultivate water lilies in your pond to provide shade to underwater creatures, like fish.

Characteristics Of A Water Lily

In this section, you will find some important facts related to the characteristics of water lilies.

To begin with, water lilies have large, round leaves that float on the surface of the water. These flowers are known for their sweet fragrance, which can be smelled from far away.

The stem of a water lily always remains touching the ground and provides support to the flower and the leaf.

The underground stems also protect the flowers and leaves against strong water flows. They have roots that store nutrients in them.

The leaves of most species of water lilies are round-shaped and float on the water surface. In addition to that, they also have numerous air spaces.

Because of its thickness, a water lily leaf is also called a lily pad.

Like the leaves of other plants, these floating leaves also carry out the photosynthesis process and make food for the plant.

When it comes to blooming, the aquatic plants generally flower in spring and summer.

The specific flowering time varies from species to species. For example, the tropical varieties mostly bloom at night, while hardy water lilies bloom during the day.

Almost all the species of this tropical plant, except Comanche and Pygmaea Helvola, have a fragrance. It is also said that some species smell like citrus fruit.

Water lilies can reproduce both through their rhizomes and their seeds.

A water lily will last for about three to five days. They have developed a few adaptations in order to survive such as big leaves and thorns on the underside.

Types Of Water Lily Species

Primarily, water lilies can be divided into two categories; the hardy varieties and the tropical varieties. In this section, we will discuss various species and types of water lilies.

When it comes to types of water lilies, the plant has around 70 species spread across the globe.

The first on this list is a pink water lily. The flowers of this species can grow up to 7 in (17.7 cm) and tend to be extremely fragrant. As per the name, both the outer and inner petals of the flower are pink in color.

Another type of water lily is the fragrant water lily. Its scientific name is Nymphaea odorata. Like the previous type, it also grows up to 7 in (17.7 cm) and turns out to be very fragrant. This species primarily has white colors and are native to North America.

The Colorado water lily tends to have a width of 5 in (12.7 cm). This species of water lily mostly prefers mild climates and has burgundy lily pads and pink flowers.

The next one on this list is the afterglow water lily. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful species of water lily and can get as big as 6-8 ft (15-20m). The flowers of this plant tend to be extremely fragrant and have orange petals.

Arc en Ciel water lily is another very beautiful species. The plant can spread up to 4 ft (1 m) and has lily pads of a unique shape. The petals can vary in color, from pink to red.

The next one is called Marliacea Carnea water lily. These water lily flowers bloom only during the day and have delicate pink petals.

Rembrandt water lilies also bloom only during the day. The leaves of these plants can spread around 5 ft (1.5 m) and mainly possess bright red petals.

Alba water lilies are also known by the name white water lilies. The leaves of these plants can have a spread up to 12 in (30.5 cm) and generally have white petals. They are also known for thriving in warm climates. The white water lily is also the national flower of Bangladesh.

The next one is called Mrs. George H. Pring lily. This plant can spread up to 6 ft (1.8 m) and are very fragrant. In addition to that, the plant is very easy to maintain.

The midnight water lily has extremely fragrant flowers and numerous petals that are lavender in color. Instead of blooming at night as the name suggests, the flowers of this plant bloom during the day.

The giant water lily, also known as the Royal water lily, is the next item on this list. The plants of this species can spread up to 10 ft (3 m) and have up to 26 ft (8 m) long stalks that are mostly submerged. Guyana has the giant water lily as its national flower.

The last one on this list is the Cape blue water lily, which has purple petals. These hardy water lilies are also known for thriving in temperate climates.