Giant Water Lily Victoria amazonica

Giant Waterlily is one of two species in this genus and is not viviparous, meaning that the seeds do not develop before they detach from the parent plant.  It is the largest member of the water lily family.  The lily pads are up to 8 feet across and the large white to pink blooms are very fragrant, having a sweet pineapple-like scent on the first day of is two day lifecycle. Only blooming for a few days, the flowers will open at nighttime on the first day being white.  When they open on the second night, they will be purple-red color and will have lost their scent.

Its leaves are rounded and upturned.  It is supported by a ribbed underside and anchored to a submerged stalk, with the leaf floating on the water surface.  The stalks can be up to 26 feet long and in nature will embed themselves in the lake or river bottom.  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 and grown as an annual in NC without winter protection. 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 temperatures must remain above 75 degrees for the plant to remain as a perennial.  

1' to 3' of quiet, still waters are the best growing conditions.  In locations that have currents running through, or are subject to heavy winds should be avoided. 

Seed can be started indoors in containers that are placed in water that has constant temperatures above 80 degrees.  Outdoor planting can be done in late spring, when the water temperatures have reached a minimum of 70 degrees.  The plants that are grown in containers are placed into the still waters in their containers.  In areas that experience cooler winters, the containers can be removed and stored in a greenhouse in anticipation of the next outdoor season.  

Pollination is achieved by the plant attracting beetles with its scent of the flower when it opens its first night.  The flower will then close the next day, trapping the beetles.  At that time, the plant will change from female to male and produces pollen.  Opening again the next night as an unscented, red-purple flower, the beetle, that is now coated with pollen, is released. It will fly to the next white flower and repeat the pollination process.  

No known insect or disease problem are noted.