Victoria Water Lily

Chlorostilbon poortmani

The Victoria water lily is a giant water lily with huge leaves that can hold a lot of weight! Its flowers are beautiful and can be white or pink.

Habitat: Lakes and slow-moving rivers

Appearance

The Victoria Water Lily has enormous, circular green leaves with upturned edges, resembling floating trays. Its large, multi-petaled flowers bloom white, often turning pink or purplish as they age, and emerge majestically above the water's surface.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaGenusChlorostilbon

Victoria Water Lily

Interesting facts

A single leaf can grow wide enough to support a small child!

Its stunning flowers bloom white on the first night, turning pink by the second!

The mighty stems can grow over 8 meters long to reach the surface!

These colossal plants are a famous symbol of the Amazon rainforest.

Special abilities

Victoria Water Lily has giant, circular leaves with strong ribs that help it spread widely, blocking sunlight for competitors.

Its leaves are covered in sharp spines on the underside, deterring herbivores like fish and manatees from eating them.

Victoria Water Lily flowers emit heat and a strong scent at night, luring specific beetles for pollination.

Measurements & details

Height: 10-15 cm
Spread: 150-300 cm
Flower Size: 20-40 cm
Bloom Season: Summer to early fall
Edible: Yes
Toxicity: None
Lifecycle: Perennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

Scarab beetle

Cyclocephala castanea

Attracted by scent and heat to transfer pollen.

eats

Amazonian Manatee

Trichechus inunguis

Aquatic mammal that grazes on its leaves and stems.

shelters

Peacock Bass

Cichla ocellaris

Young fish hide under the giant leaves from predators.

Traits

Broadleaf Tree

Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates.

Fragrant Flower

Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.

Night Blooming

Night blooming plants open their flowers after sunset, often to attract nocturnal pollinators with their scent and appearance.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.