The Life Cycle of the Victoria Water Lily (Victoria Amazonica)

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The Victoria water lily (Victoria amazonica) is the largest water lily in the world, native to the shallow waters of the Amazon River basin.Key FeaturesGiant Leaves: Its round floating leaves can grow up to 3 meters (10 feet) in diameter with upturned edges that keep them from overlapping.Strong Structure: The underside of each leaf has a web-like pattern of sharp, spiky ribs filled with air, making the pad strong enough to support the weight of a young child (up to 30 kg or 65 lbs) when evenly distributed.Changing Flowers: Its large blossoms bloom at night for only two days. They start white on the first night to attract beetles for pollination, then turn pink or reddish-purple on the second night before sinking underwater.Natural Protection: The sharp spines on the underside of the leaves and stems protect the plant from fish and other aquatic animals.