Amazon water-lily

Victoria amazonica (Poepp.) Klotzsch

Amazon water-lily spreads enormous circular leaves across freshwater lakes and backwaters. Their upturned rims and waxy upper surfaces give each floating blade a tray-like outline. Beneath, a strong network of ribs encloses air spaces that help keep the leaf buoyant. Long underwater stalks connect the leaves to the submerged plant. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Giant waterlily

Wear Amazon water-lily: explore the botanical t-shirt

Botanical name

Kew accepts Victoria amazonica (Poepp.) Klotzsch. The catalog’s Sowerby author attribution refers to the same named waterlily; the accepted combination is based on Euryale amazonica Poepp. Kew POWO: Victoria amazonica

Recognizing the plant

The lower leaf surface is often purplish red and armed with sharp spines. Large flowers open at night and are short-lived. They begin white, then turn pink during their two-night flowering cycle. This colour change accompanies a shift in the flower’s role, from receiving pollen to releasing it. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Giant waterlily

Bloom window

Kew Gardens, London, heated Waterlily House cultivation

Kew’s cultivated plants begin producing flower buds from July. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Giant waterlily

Native range

Kew places its native distribution in tropical South America, from southeastern Colombia to northern and eastern Bolivia, including Guyana. Its characteristic habitat is still or slow-moving freshwater in the Amazon basin. Kew POWO: Victoria amazonicaRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Giant waterlily