# Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily (*nuphar variegata*) The Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily is a beautiful flower that floats on water and has bright yellow petals. It provides a cozy home for frogs and other pond creatures! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Freshwater lakes and ponds - **Also known as:** Bullhead Lily ![Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Nuphar_variegatum_3_PP.jpg&width=800) Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nuphar_variegatum_3_PP.jpg) ## Appearance The Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily has large, heart-shaped green leaves that float flat on the water's surface. Its cup-shaped, bright yellow flowers, often with a hint of red on their sepals, rise slightly above the water. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Nymphaeales - **Family:** Nymphaeaceae - **Genus:** Nuphar ## Interesting facts - Each yellow flower closes at night, then reopens with the morning sun! - Its massive underwater roots can live for decades, anchoring it like a ship! - Its seeds float inside a special fruit that looks like a mini green lemon! - Tiny aquatic snails love to munch on its big, floating leaves! ## Special abilities - **Deep Rooter:** The Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily can grow thick rhizomes deep in the mud, helping it stay firmly anchored in moving water. - **Underwater Breather:** Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily has hollow stems that act like snorkels, delivering oxygen to its roots buried in the muddy bottom. - **Self-Cooler:** It has broad floating leaves that provide shade to the water below, which helps keep the aquatic environment cool and stable. - **Seed Sprinter:** Its seeds are encased in a spongy fruit that floats, allowing them to drift far away to new growing spots. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-15 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 5-10 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Mallard (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — Ducks eat its seeds and tender leaves. - **Eaten by:** [Muskrat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/muskrat) (*Ondatra zibethicus*) — Muskrats dig up and feast on its starchy rhizomes. - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Bees collect pollen from its bright yellow flowers. - **Shelter:** [Yellow Perch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-perch) (*Perca flavescens*) — Young fish hide from predators beneath its broad leaves. ## Traits - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger Be careful not to step on the plants when exploring the pond! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily? 5-15 cm ### How wide does Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily? 5-10 cm ### When does Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily bloom? Late spring to early fall ### Is Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily edible? No ### Is Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily toxic? Mild ### What is Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Brattleboro Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brattleboro-downtown-historic-district) — Vermont, US · Historic District - [Chenango Canal](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chenango-canal) — New York, US · Historic Site - [South Newbury Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/south-newbury-village-historic-district) — New Hampshire, US · Historic District - [Canoe Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/canoe-meadows-wildlife-sanctuary) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Grandma Lake Wetlands State Natural Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grandma-lake-wetlands-state-natural-area) — Wisconsin, US · State Park - [Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pleasant-valley-wildlife-sanctuary) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/variegated-yellow-pond-lily) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Variegated Yellow Pond-Lily: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/variegated-yellow-pond-lily)