Water-lily - Nymphaea sp.

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Water-lily - Nymphaea sp.
© Dr Chris Gibson/English Nature

This deciduous aquatic has the largest flowers of any native British plant. The floating leaves are heart-shaped and curl at the edges. The water-lily has an open, beautiful and many-petalled flower with bright yellow stamens. In the wild form this is almost always pure white but pink varieties have been produced. This water-lily is only suitable for a large pond but growth can be restricted by planting in containers and there are many smaller varieties available. Water-lily leaves shade the surface of the water, reducing the growth of algae.

A variety of creatures may make use of the leaves. They provide an excellent vantage point for common frogs and hunting dragonflies in the darter group. Beneath the water, the stems and roots offer shelter to a whole range of small aquatic creatures.

Animals

Common frog, Dragonflies and damselflies, Tadpoles

Foliage	Green
Flower	White, June to September
Moisture	(Wet)
Sunlight	(Full sun)
Origin	Native