The whole world is full of many wonders. Nature, in particular, has buried many wonders in its lap. One such wonder is Victoria Water Lily.
Victoria or giant waterlily is a genus of water-lilies in the plant family Nymphaeaceae. With very large green leaves that lie flat on the water’s surface has a leaf that is up to 3 metres in width and up to 8 metres in length. The genus name was given in honour of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. The first published description of the genus was by John Lindley in 1837, based on specimens returned from British Guiana by Robert Schomburgk. Lindley named the genus after the new Queen, Victoria, and the species Victoria regia. The leaf is able to support a weight of up to 32 kilograms if suitably distributed.
This species is the national flower of the Republic of Guyana and appears on the country’s coat of arms. The large white to pink blooms of this Lily are very fragrant, having a sweet pineapple-like scent on the first day of its two-day lifecycle. Only blooming for a few days, the flowers will open at night time on the first day being white. When they open on the second night, they will be purple-red colour and will have lost their scent. Its leaves are rounded and upturned, floating on the water surface. This rapid growing plant can expand by up to 20 inches per day. While the upper surface has water repellent properties, the underside is protected from herbivorous fish by its sharp spines. Air becomes trapped between the ribs on the underside, which keeps it afloat.
It is suitable for large water gardens only. It grows best in quiet water as the backwaters of large rivers. In tropical zones, it can be grown as a perennial, where it will grow best when anchored in an organically rich loam. The water temperature must remain above 75 degrees for the plant to remain as a perennial. It is learned that this giant Lily has the capacity to hold up the humans.
The Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, London, raise the water lily species as an annual plant. Hand pollination is used in summer and helps in the collection of seeds in autumn. Consistent temperature of 59°F prevents the seeds from death or premature germination. The seeds are also used as food when roasted.
