Tetrahedral water lily: photo and description. White water lily: everything you need to know about the collection and beneficial properties of water lily What a water lily plant looks like

Walking along the bank of a river or lake, you can see snow-white flowers surrounded by large green plates of leaves, as if floating on the surface of the water - these are nymphs or water lilies. However, such names are not often used in everyday use; the plant is usually called a water lily. A water lily, as a rule, is called a water lily, which is very common in our reservoirs.

According to legend, the flower received its Latin name - nymphea - in honor of a Greek nymph who forever plunged into the underwater depths because of unrequited love. Of course, the very way of life of this amazing plant puts you in a fairy-tale mood. In many cultures, the water lily, extending flowers from the depths of the river to the surface, is associated with mermaids, nymphs and other mystical inhabitants of reservoirs.

In ancient Egyptian culture, water lily flowers received a lot of attention. There is evidence, both in the form of scrolls and stone carvings, depicting this beautiful plant. The lotus, as the Nile water lily is usually called, is the most common motif for decorating the capitals of the columns of ancient Egyptian temples, and in particular the complex at Karnak.

Probably, thanks to the bright yellow core of the inflorescence, the blue lotus, growing from the sacred depths of the Nile, was considered the receptacle of the great Ra. The Sun God came out of the flower in the morning, illuminating the world around him, and returned back at night. Due to its mystical significance, ancient priests widely used the Egyptian water lily in funeral rituals. Dried nymphs were discovered in the sarcophagus of Pharaoh Ramses II.

Of course, such a beautiful flower could not remain without the attention of artists. The great impressionist Claude Monet painted a series of paintings where the central motif is an old pond, the entire surface of which is densely covered with beautiful pink water lilies.

However, in addition to inspiration, nymphs also bring quite earthly, practical benefits. Water lilies can be processed for the starch found in the leaves, stems and especially the fleshy submerged roots.

The plant is edible. Young shoots, flower ovaries and roots are used in the preparation of traditional Thai dishes. The water lily is served both boiled and fried.

Hindus collect the dried leaves and stems of the plant from dry bodies of water during the dry season, and then use it to feed livestock.

Nymphea is also used in folk medicine:

Water lily decoction is used as a cosmetic product to remove pimples, blackheads, freckles, and skin inflammations.
A tincture of the root helps with indigestion.
Young flowers and shoots contain sedatives and are used as a sedative.

[!] Egyptian water lily contains an alkaloid aporphine, which has a psychedelic effect on humans, and is prohibited in some countries, including Russia.

For a gardener and landscape designer, water lilies are a magnificent decoration for a pond. Moreover, in order to admire the flowers of a beautiful plant, it is not at all necessary to own a huge plot of land with a lake or pond. The water lily can be grown in an artificial reservoir, a container the size of an ordinary bathtub.

In addition to the beautiful inflorescences that are pleasing to the eye, the wide leaves of the plant bring practical benefits to the pond. The plates floating on the surface provide a lot of shade and prevent the development of microscopic algae. Thus, the water lily maintains purity and prevents the water from blooming.

Aquarists keep tropical water lily species at home. True, when decorating an aquarium, only the underwater leaves of the plant are used; the above-water part with the flower ovaries is completely removed. However, to decorate the fish kingdom, as a rule, varieties with expressive, for example spotted-tiger, coloring of leaf plates are taken. Effective artificial lighting promotes the appearance of bright and contrasting pigmentation, so that the underwater part is in no way inferior in beauty to the inflorescences.

From the point of view of scientific classification, water lilies (lat. Numphaea) belong to the genus of herbaceous aquatic perennial plants of the water lily family (lat. Numphaeacae). The most famous and widespread relative of the nymphaeum from the water lilies is the water lily, and the most famous, due to the outstanding size of the leaves, is Victoria.

The flower is widespread. Nympheas, numbering a total of about fifty species, grow in almost all corners of the globe. Plants are distinguished by a wide range of inflorescence colors. In nature, water lilies are found with white, blue, pink, blue and yellow petals.

All species have in common a similar structure of leaves - large, rounded, sometimes with a pointed end, smooth or jagged edges and a deep notch at the point of attachment to the stem. The plates extend from the root on long flexible petioles and float on the surface of the reservoir. However, in some types of water lilies, some of the leaves and flowers are not located on the water, but rise above the surface on elastic stems.

Water lilywhite(lat. Numphaea alba) or European white water lily. The species is distributed throughout almost all of Europe and is found in some regions of North Africa and the Middle East, as well as in India.

The plant has a large fleshy root, located horizontally almost on the very surface of the bottom soil and reaching a length of 50-70 cm. The adventitious roots holding the nymph go 15-30 cm deep. The snow-white water lily forms an underwater bush with 10-20 flexible stems ending rounded leaves floating on the surface 20-25 cm in diameter. On the water, one plant covers an area of up to one and a half meters with its leaves. At the height of summer, a flowering period begins, usually lasting from July to August - the nymphea blooms a large white flower with a yellow core.

[!] As paradoxical as it sounds, in nature there is a red subspecies of the white water lily - Nymphaea alba f. Rosea. The plant was discovered in Sweden in Lake Fagertarn. Numerous tourists visiting the reservoir almost brought the species to the brink of extinction, but it was still managed to be preserved, taking it under state protection.

Water lilysnow-white(lat. Numphaea candida) - the species inhabits Eurasia. Widely distributed in the European part of Russia, Western and Eastern Siberia. In addition, it is found in water bodies of Kazakhstan and Central Asia. It is very reminiscent of the white water lily and is probably a subspecies of it.

Water lilyblue(lat. Numphaea caerulea) - the famous sacred blue Egyptian lotus or lily.

Initially growing along the Nile, the flower gradually spread throughout East Africa, India and Thailand.

Externally, it is distinguished by wide, 30-40 cm in diameter, leaves and relatively small, 10-15 cm, flowers. The color of the inflorescence can vary noticeably from pale blue to blue and even purple.

Water lilylotus(lat. Numphaea lotus) is another famous flower, which is often called white lotus, tiger lotus, Egyptian white lily. Despite the use of the word “lotus” in the name, from a botanical point of view this plant is not related to the lotus genus (Latin Nelumbo).

The culture is widespread in East Africa and some reservoirs in Southeast Asia.

[!] It is interesting that a subspecies of such a heat-loving water lily can be found even in Europe. Water lily lotus subspecies thermal (lat. Numphaea lotus var. termalis) grows in thermal ponds of Romania and Hungary.

The stems of the plant are elastic and capable of holding young leaves, as well as inflorescences blooming above the surface of the water at a height of up to 40 cm. The color of the petals is traditionally white, but sometimes, depending on external conditions, they can be pink.

K. white, K. snow-white, K. blue, K. lotus

Water lily toApskaya(lat. Numphaea capensis) - native to South Africa. One of the features of the species is its excellent tolerance to long dry periods. The root of this water lily is able to survive for some time even in a completely dehydrated reservoir in order to sprout young shoots at the beginning of the rainy season, when the riverbed is filled with water again.

Thanks to its vitality and unpretentiousness, the water lily was resettled and took root well in the freshwater bodies of the coast of Florida, as well as in Australia. The heat-loving flower feels best at shallow depths and in clear water with plenty of light.

Painted water lily(lat. Numphaea colorata) lives in the tropical part of East Africa.

The petals of this beautiful water lily have a purple tint. Green leaves with a diameter of 20-25 cm form a large bush on the water. The plant has a long flowering period and does not shed its petals even when the temperature drops to 18°C. The water lily served as an excellent material for fairly persistent and at the same time brightly colored hybrid varieties.

Mexican water lily(lat. Numphaea mexicana) is widespread in southern reservoirs in the United States and, of course, Mexico. The beautiful sunflower is commonly called the yellow, Mexican, or sometimes banana water lily.

The Mexican water lily takes root well in suitable conditions. The plant quickly reproduces both by seeds and root shoots-stolons and easily captures a new habitat, as happened in a freshwater swampy basin in California.

The water lily is distinguished by yellow-green inflorescences with a bright orange core. Round green leaves floating on the surface of the water on the underwater side usually have a purple-brown tint. The Mexican water lily blooms in the summer, although in warmer areas it can bloom in the spring and drop its flowers with the onset of heat.

Giant water lily(lat. Numphaea gigantea) is a subtropical species found in the waters of Australia and New Guinea.

It stands out for its large blue-blue flowers with a bright yellow core and large rounded floating leaves with jagged edges, reaching 60-80 cm in diameter.

Scented water lily(lat. Numphaea odorata) inhabits almost the entire North American continent. The plant is also called fragrant or American water lily.

This fragrant nymph is very common in the United States and is as typical as the white water lily for Russia. With its white inflorescence with a bright yellow core, the plant even outwardly resembles the inhabitant of our ponds, differing only in its stronger aroma.

American gardeners and landscape designers enjoy using the fragrant water lily to decorate artificial ponds.

Fluffy water lily(lat. Numphaea pubescens) is a tropical flower, sometimes called hairy or pink water lily.

This type of nymph is found almost everywhere in Asia. The water lily grows in countries such as India, Taiwan, Laos, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. In addition, it was introduced and took root in Australia and New Guinea.

This heat-loving tropical flower does not tolerate temperatures below 15°C. It lives in bodies of water with calm, standing water and low acidity.

The rounded leaves floating on the surface, approximately 20-25 cm in diameter, have uneven jagged edges, and the lower underwater part of the plate is covered with a kind of thin hair. The stems of the plant also have villi, for which this type of nymph received the prefix - fluffy or hairy. The flowers are usually white or pink, but lilac and even violet hybrids are found.

The fluffy water lily can be purchased as an aquarium plant. As a rule, aquarists remove the entire above-water part of the plant, leaving only the underwater foliage.

K. cape, K. painted, K. Mexican, K. fragrant

Water lily in landscape design

When constructing a reservoir on a personal plot, the biggest difficulty is that it is necessary to fit the initially artificial object into the natural environment. In case of an error, instead of a harmonious element of the landscape, you may end up with a banal pit with water.

Of course, the best assistant in this matter is nature itself, or rather its plant part, flora, and to be absolutely precise, the most aristocratic and beautiful inhabitant of reservoirs - the water lily. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine something more natural and noble than the water surface of a pond, covered with beautiful water lily flowers.

The water lily can be easily combined with any vegetation usually planted along the banks: hosta, calamus. In addition, the nymph does not in any way interfere with the life of underwater inhabitants, if there are any in the reservoir. The foliage of the plant creates shade, provides underwater shelter for fish and has a beneficial effect on the purity of the water.

However, in decoration, as in any matter, it is necessary to observe moderation. Water lilies should not be planted throughout the pond. It will be better if the crop occupies about a third of the total area. This proportion of clean water to the green mass of foliage looks most impressive, and in addition provides the opportunity for the free growth and development of each individual water lily bush.

Growing and caring for water lilies

Selection of varieties

If there is a pond on the site, you need to decide on the plant variety. If we approach it from a practical point of view and do not take into account decorative parameters, as well as personal aesthetic preferences, then the most important difference between the varieties is the heat-loving nature and size of the plants.

Of course, the most suitable type of water lily in terms of winter hardiness will be plants from a nearby pond, river or lake. Many gardeners do this: replanting an ordinary white water lily does not require special skills or extra costs.

However, if you want to admire a more exotic plant with bright flowers, you can purchase a cold-resistant hybrid of a tropical species.

Two centuries ago, the French breeder Joseph Marliac set himself the goal of adapting beautiful tropical water lilies to harsh climate conditions. He was engaged in crossing local winter-hardy plants with brightly colored heat-loving varieties. The result of the work of the French breeder was more than six dozen beautiful varieties of water lilies, whose own name was added in honor of the master - Marliacea.

Work on breeding hybrids is ongoing; enthusiasts in all corners of the world are creating and growing new, never-before-seen flowers. Of course, not all varieties are suitable for cultivation in Russia, but you can still choose a bright and unusual nymph suitable for the conditions of our climate.

It is also advisable to take into account the size of the reservoir and the plant being planted.

Dwarf varieties of water lilies, usually called Numphaea pygmaea, are even used for landscaping home aquariums. Therefore, to place children on the site, you can get by with a relatively small container of water. For dwarf water lilies, a layer of water 30 cm deep is sufficient.

Of course, to maintain larger varieties you will need a pond with a depth of 50 to 100 cm. The larger the water surface, the better it will be for the plants: the floating leaves of an adult water lily bush can occupy several meters of the surface area of the pond.

Breeders have developed a huge number of varieties of this aquatic perennial, differing mainly in the shade of the flowers. The most common ones are:

"Masaniello" (Masaniello) is a perennial with rounded emerald green leaves and large pink flowers decorated with yellow stamens.
"Aurora" (Aurora) - graceful reddish-orange flowers.
"Amabilis" (Amabilis) - pink, star-shaped flowers with large yellow stamens.

K. "Masaniello", K. "Aurora", K. "Amabilis"

"Escarboucle" (Carbuncle) is a very bright and decorative red-pink flower.
"Rene Gerard" (Rene Gerard) - a flower with round pinkish petals.
"Gladstoniana" (Gladstoniana) - snow-white petals and rich yellow stamens.

K. "Escarboucle", K. "Rene Gerard", K. "Gladstoniana"

"Pygmaea Helvola" (Pygmaea Helvola) is a miniature variety with purple-green leaves and cream flowers not exceeding 5 cm in diameter.
"Fire Crest" - star-shaped light pink flowers and dark emerald leaves.
"Froebelii" (Frobeli) - bright red flowers with orange stamens.

K. "Pygmaea Helvola", K. "Fire Crest", K. "Froebelii"

"Ellisiana" (Ellisiana) is a compact variety with bright red-pink flowers.
"Texas Dawn" - fragrant yellow flowers with many petals.
"Pink Sensation" - cupped pink flowers with bright yellow stamens.

K. "Ellisiana", K. "Texas Dawn", K. "Pink Sensation"

Landing

The simplest and most effective way to propagate water lilies is by dividing the root. As a rule, it is in the form of a root that the water lily is sold in specialized flower shops. The culture grows quickly and any gardener growing nymphs is forced to limit the plant population by pruning the roots.

Regardless of the origin of the plant, it is best to plant a water lily in the spring, before the beginning of summer. During this period, the water is already warming up, the sun is shining brightly and working in the fresh air becomes easy and pleasant. In addition, the overwintered root of the plant does not yet have time to produce numerous shoots and the plant practically does not suffer.

It should be noted that there are two different ways to plant nymphs. Water lilies are placed either directly in the bottom soil, or in a separate container immersed in a reservoir.

The choice of planting type depends on whether the nymphs are able to exist without outside interference in your pond. Only a very unpretentious hybrid can survive year-round living and wintering in a freezing pond, and then only if the root system is placed at a depth exceeding the freezing point.

[!] The roots of the white water lily, which lives in central Russia, are able to survive complete freezing of water, so that in the spring, after the ice melts, young shoots appear as if nothing had happened.

Planting in a separate container, usually called a basket because of the lattice structure, allows you to pay more attention to the aquatic beauties nymphs:

Feed the plant by removing the container from the water and adding nutrients;
In the spring, to stimulate growth, place it at a shallow depth, warmed by the sun;
Raise to the surface and care for the bush: trim the overgrown root, remove dead shoots and various debris;
Remove for the winter or lower to a frost-free depth before the onset of cold weather.

It is not at all necessary to use natural soil such as river silt as a substrate. Water lilies grow great on a mixture of organic humus, black soil and sand. When placing soil in a container, you should try to limit the washing out of the soil by water, cover the side holes with mesh material, and pour pebbles on top.

Regardless of the chosen planting method, the water lily root is placed on the very surface of the soil with its living buds facing upward and pressed down with a load, such as a stone. After a short time, the nymphea takes down adventitious roots, clings to the ground and begins to grow young shoots.

Wintering

Wintering is one of the most important stages in growing water lilies, which greatly depends on the climate, the individual characteristics of the reservoir and the persistence of the crop.

Wintering in a pond always involves some risk. To increase the chances of success, it is better to move the container with the water lily to a depth of at least a meter, and after the ice forms, cover the pond with a thick layer of loose snow.

If it is not possible to leave the water lily in a pond for the winter, the root, along with the basket and soil, must be removed and packaged in a sealed plastic bag with water. It is most convenient to store a nymph prepared in this way in a cellar or basement. Under no circumstances should the root be allowed to dry out, and a constant temperature of about 5°C should be maintained.

In such a unique storage chamber, the water lily waits for the onset of spring, so that with the first warming of the water, it can go to gain strength in a well-lit and warmed shallow area of the reservoir.

Diseases and pests

Among the dangers threatening water lilies, it is difficult to single out anything special. Aphids, pond snails and other herbivorous insects love to feast on the delicate greenery of nymphs. The plant can be saved from damage either by regularly collecting pests or by treating the exposed above-water parts of the plant with insecticides.

The water lily belongs to the Water Lily family, which includes more than 50 species of perennials with powerful, fleshy rhizomes. A water lily is often mistakenly called a water lily.

This is an amazing flower. The white water lily (the Red Book of Russia includes it as a rare plant) among the Slavs was an obligatory component of various love spells. It was believed that this plant, taken on the road with you, would protect a person from any evil. Carl Linnaeus, a famous biologist who collected legends about this plant, was surprised by the fate of the nymph, rejected by Hercules, and turned into a water lily by the gods. Because of this, he decided to give the flower a Latin name in her honor - white nymphea.

Claude Monet, a French painter, painted “White Water Lilies” in oil on canvas in 1899. He reflected how beautiful the nature that surrounds us is.

White water lily (water lily) is a natural weather forecaster. There are a huge number of signs of plant behavior depending on the weather.

It has been observed over the years that if the flowers open early in the morning, the weather will be clear all day, while if it appears only at 9 am, it will rain. If it doesn’t appear at all, there will soon be a heavy and prolonged downpour.

White water lily: description

It is a stemless perennial herbaceous and aquatic plant with large, floating leaves. It belongs to the water lilies. It has a creeping rhizome, adjacent to it are heart-shaped leaves, as well as long stalks with white single flowers. Flowers with a large number of white petals, emit a light aroma, float on the water. Their calyx is four-leafed and green. Many stamens, radiate multipartite stigma. The fruits are spherical, green, and always ripen under water. Flowering occurs in June-July.

Flower names

The medicinal plant white water lily is nicknamed: white water lily, overpowering, water flower, Aquarius, adalen, white hens, water companion, water crown, balabolka, great lapushnik...

Places of growth

It grows in the European part of our country, in the southern part of Siberia, in the Urals, Belarus, Ukraine, Eastern Transcaucasia, and the North Caucasus. The white water lily's habitat is standing and slowly flowing water (lakes, ponds, river bays).

Recently, the conditions for the plant to live in nature have been deteriorating, therefore, these days it has been included in the Red Book.

Reproduction

Reproduction occurs by segments of rhizomes that have dormant buds. The cut should be sprinkled with ash or crushed charcoal. Leaves and roots do not tolerate drying, therefore, there is no need to prolong the division process. The plant is placed in a small container with clean water for transportation.

Composition of white water lily

The white water lily (its description is given in this article) contains tannins, starch, and the alkaloid nymphalin in its roots; in the petals - flavonoids, cardenomide nymphalins; in the leaves - tannins, oxalic acid, flavonoids; the seeds contain tannins, starch and fatty oil.

The rhizomes, leaves and flowers of the plant are used for medicinal purposes. Roots are stored in early autumn, leaves and flowers - in summer.

Medicinal properties

The white water lily, or rather its flowers, have a calming, antipyretic, analgesic, and hypnotic effect.

Harvesting and collection

The period for collecting water lilies is selected depending on the required part of it.

If these are roots, then collection should be carried out in early autumn, when a huge amount of nutrients has already accumulated in them. They are extracted from the bottom using hooks, then cleaned of leaf cuttings and small roots. Then they are washed, cut into equal-sized pieces and dried in a ventilated room or outside in the shade.

If these are buds or flowers of the white water lily plant, then you need to accurately select the time of collection. This should happen during flowering. In addition, they need to be collected before 5 pm, and if just buds, then before 7 am or immediately after 5 pm, since the flowers are submerged under water after this time. Mostly flowers are taken fresh, but if necessary, they are dried in a ventilated, shady place.

The leaves of the plant can be collected in the fall before the onset of cold weather around the clock. The leaves are dried under the same conditions as all other parts - in a ventilated, shady room.

The fruits and seeds of the water lily are collected during its flowering (it must be borne in mind that one flower blooms for only 4 days): for example, the seeds are taken directly from the surface of the water, where they float in “capsules”, while the fruits are taken at a shallow depth under water. Seeds and fruits need to be dried after collection.

Although not only these rules are recommended to be followed by magicians and healers. When various parts of the water lily are torn off, you should always appease the water spirit, since this plant is under its protection: this can be done by throwing a piece of bread or a few coins into the water.

When collecting the plant, you need to remember that the water lily is listed in the Red Books in many countries, therefore, it can only be collected in limited quantities.

Application

The white water lily plant is actively used in folk medicine. An infusion of flowers is used to quench thirst, as a soothing and antipyretic effective remedy. An aqueous infusion of these flowers is used for insomnia as a sleeping pill and sedative.

Medicinal preparations from the rhizomes and roots of the plant help reduce skin inflammation, while when crushed they are used as mustard plasters.

If you add the leaves of the white water lily to the roots of the plant, this decoction will help with constipation and jaundice. The roots, boiled in wort, are consumed by nursing women, thereby increasing the amount of milk.

An alcoholic tincture made from the leaves is drunk for urolithiasis. In case of hair loss, it is recommended to wash your hair with a decoction of the roots of the plant.

The infusion, which is prepared from the flowers of this medicinal plant, is used for baths and washes, in addition to relieving pain as an external remedy.

Dry rhizomes can be ground into flour and baked into bread.

Relieving pain with flowers

You will need a crushed flower (white water lily). Pour boiling water over it, then wrap it in gauze, and then apply it to the sore area.

Skin cleaning

You will need fresh white water lily petals. They need to be filled with water and left to boil for 15 minutes, then left to steep for 4 hours. With a ready-to-use product to wash your face, acne will disappear from your skin very soon.

Infusion of petals

A small amount of fresh petals of the white water lily should be poured into a glass of boiling water, held for an hour, filtered, and used internally to quench thirst in small sips in the presence of insomnia and fever. The white water lily flower also in this form is suitable for people suffering from ailments of the nervous system.

Heart weakness

Mix a couple of tablespoons of white water lily petals and red hawthorn flowers, pour a glass of boiling water, leave for an hour, then consume every 2 hours.

Contraindications

The use of such medicinal products, which are obtained from various parts of the water lily, should be under the supervision of a specialist. This is explained simply - the white water lily itself is very poisonous.

The Red Book of Russia, by the way, included the flower in the list of rare plants, so its extraction is now prohibited.

The water lily, also known as the nymph, became known thanks to one of the ancient Greek legends, according to which an unrequited nymph in love disappeared forever in the depths of the sea, turning into a flower. For a long time, the water lily has been associated with the mystical inhabitants of the underwater world.

Many ancient Greek drawings, modeling and carvings that have survived to this day testify to the beauty and reverence of this amazing plant, which was used to decorate one’s home, to perpetuate the image of a flower in modeling and to paint ancient temples with images of water lilies. The water lily or white lotus was immortalized in the whole complex of Egyptian buildings near the Temple of Amun.

Water lily, plant description

Blooming water lilies exude a pleasant, lasting aroma.

The root system is shallow and well developed. It has one main stem and several additional ones. The diameter of the flowers ranges from 12 to 20 cm. The leaves are fleshy, bright green, and reach about 25 cm in size.

One of the very first and famous species. Another species is called the Egyptian lotus or Egyptian lily. The blue water lily inhabited the coastal zone of the Nile River, then began to spread throughout Africa, India and Thailand. The foliage of the plant is sinewy, large, about 35 cm long. Flowers with such large foliage seem small, reaching a size of 16-20 cm. The shade of the petals varies, from sky blue to cornflower blue, lilac and blue.

Tiger water lily

It is distinguished by large dark green leaves, uneven tiger color.

The distinctiveness of the tiger water lily is created by the pattern of the leaves (brown and red spots). It is seasonal, does not tolerate frost well, and is suitable for growing in aquariums. Africa is considered the birthplace of the tiger nymph. The flowers are small, white or cream in color. The root system is well developed and does not tolerate fast currents and cold water bodies.

Water lily Victoria Regia or Amazonian nymphea

Another species of impressive size. The Victoria water lily was discovered by the German botanist and naturalist Eduard Pelling in the 19th century. The Amazonian water lily blooms only once a year, blooming only at night, and sinks under the water before dark.

The shade of perhaps the largest flower changes during the flowering process from white to pink. When in full bloom, the Amazonian water lily can reach 35 cm. Victoria Regia has a persistent, noticeable aroma, and its foliage can support the weight of a teenager.

Yellow water lily is a perennial, with a well-developed root system lying deep in the ground. It has underwater small foliage with jagged edges, on short petioles.

The above-water floating leaves are ovoid, large, up to 20 cm in diameter. The flowers are large, green on the outside and yellow on the inside. They reach a size of about 17 cm. Flowering occurs in June and lasts almost until September.

water lily

Water nymph, from the water lily family. Botanically, it is similar to the white water lily; it has medium-sized floating foliage and small underwater leaves. The flowers are emergent, reach medium size, have a cream color and a bright yellow center. Water lily is used in pharmacology, and starch is obtained from the roots.

The most popular varieties of water lilies among flower growers were recognized as:

Alba (large, snow-white flowers), Gold Medal (yellow flowers with a large core), James Brydon variety (very beautiful variety with large, fluffy, burgundy corollas), Blue Beauty (has memorable blue flowers with a yellow core), Rosea (pink flowers, with a bright purple cup).

Growing water lilies

To ensure that the process of growing water lilies does not cause unnecessary trouble, take the choice of planting material seriously. It’s not for nothing that they say: “The miser pays twice.” Buy planting material in specialized stores or borrow from trusted gardeners.

Warm summer months are considered a suitable period for planting water lilies. The plant can be immediately planted on the bottom of the reservoir, but it is worth considering that water lilies are terrified of frost and cold, so looking ahead, you should take this fact into account and plant the plant in a deep container, and only then install it on the bottom of the reservoir, this will make it easier to remove the flower and send for the winter.

You can get a planting substrate for water lilies in the store by purchasing ready-made soil for water lilies, or you can prepare it yourself. The optimal composition can be considered a layer of peat of 4 cm and 10 cm of turf soil with sand in equal parts.

During planting, make sure that the growth bud is on the surface of the pot; stick feeding balls made of clay mixed with mineral fertilizers onto the roots of the water lily.

3-4 pieces the size of a paintball ball will be enough. Afterwards, the rhizome is placed in a pot on a layer of peat and covered with prepared soil mixture on top, leaving room for a layer of river pebbles to weigh it down.

Immediately after planting the water lily, the plant must be placed at the bottom of the reservoir; the optimal depth for immersing the pot is usually calculated based on the varietal data of the plant. Dwarf varieties are placed at a depth of half a meter, tall ones from a meter or more; the growth bud of a water lily will serve as a guide for you.

In order for the water lily to develop faster, it is better to place it in shallow water before the first leaves appear. When the first two floating leaves appear, the pot with the plant is deepened.

Plants planted on time will bloom in your first year of growing season, and some varieties will delight you with even several blooms.

When planting, pay close attention to the cold resistance of the variety you choose. Some types of water lilies can survive mild winters without additional shelter, for example, water lily or snow-white water lily. Most often, high survival rates of water lilies are observed only in tall varieties whose rhizomes lie deep under water.

But if in your region the winter is long and harsh. For the winter, water lilies should be removed from the reservoir and sent to a dark, cool place, and with the onset of spring, after the ice has melted, returned to the reservoir.

Caring for water lilies in the garden

Nymphea is an unpretentious plant and caring for it will not be difficult. In their usual wild environment, water lilies grow without care, multiplying and blooming on time. However, do not allow the water lily to cover the surface of the water with its leaves; this may lead to the flowers becoming smaller.

Dead flowers and yellowed foliage should be removed from the pond to prevent the water from “blooming.” In order for the plant to produce more flowers, do not leave the water lily more than two floating leaves.

Make sure that the plant has enough space in your pond; do not plant too many nymphs in small reservoirs.

Small artificial reservoirs with standing water are subject to periodic cleaning. After removing the water lily for the winter, the reservoir should be drained and cleaned of dirt and debris, and with the arrival of spring, fill it with fresh, clean water, let it sit for about a week and begin planting the water lily again. A week before planting, the water lily should be watered with mineral fertilizers.

Diseases and pests of water lilies

The water lily is not susceptible to disease and is extremely rarely attacked by insects. The plant has a fairly strong immune system.

However, in the hot months, stagnant bodies of water are often inhabited by the pitcher leaf beetle, a small brown beetle whose larvae devour floating leaves.

The method of combating it is simple: damaged foliage is removed, and the larvae will have to be collected manually, since most insecticides are dangerous for water bodies, causing its poisoning and the death of living creatures.

Another enemy of the “queen of ponds” can be called aphids. Small insects spoil the appearance of the flower and cause premature flowering of the plant. The fight against aphids involves only a mechanical method, for example, washing off harmful insects with a stream of water. Attracting entomophages to a pond can also be a life-saving option in pest control.

The main problem with the extinction of water lilies today remains not pests and diseases, but the constantly deteriorating ecology and human interference in the population of the plant species.

The drainage of water bodies and the collection of water lilies on an industrial scale led to the catastrophic extinction of this amazing and beautiful plant. Some species of nymphs are already included in the Red Book, and if “man” does not come to his senses, we may completely lose one of the most beautiful flowers on Earth.

Water lilies are grown for their waxy, star- or cup-shaped flowers and floating foliage. These are perennial aquatic plants that usually lose their leaves in the winter. The genus includes delicate tropical species that bloom at night, but all of the water lilies listed below are cold-hardy plants that bloom during the day.

The flowers are often pure white, but other colors are also found, ranging from pastel pink to deep red (almost black) or creamy yellow to deep orange. The flowers of some varieties, such as 'Aurora', change color as they age; in this variety it changes from yellow to red-burgundy. Almost all flowers have bright yellow or orange stamens. The flowers float among oval, round, or heart-shaped leaves, which may be green, purple-green, or green with purple or red-brown spots. If there are too many leaves, the flowers rise above the water. Leaves shade the surface of the pond, which reduces the amount of algae in it.

You can choose water lilies for each size of pond. Those species that need to be planted deeper than 1.2m are better suited for large ponds, while those that require a depth of less than 45cm grow best in shallow ponds or containers of water. Below is the optimal planting depth for successful growth, and the space occupied, that is, the area that the plant covers when planted at the ideal depth.

In central Russia, you have to plan the planting depth so that the rhizome is above the freezing level of the reservoir, which in these areas is about 1-1.5 m. So for the winter, dwarf water lilies will have to be moved to greater depths or sent to spend the winter in a deep well.

N. alba (K. white)

Snow-white cup-shaped flowers up to 20 cm in diameter float among round green leaves with a diameter of up to 30 cm. Planting depth - 3 m. Space occupied - 2 m.

N. "Albatross"

White star-shaped flowers up to 20 cm in diameter are visible among dark green rounded leaves of the same diameter. Young leaves have a purple tint when they first appear. Planting depth - 1 m. Space occupied - 1 m.

N. "Amabilis"

Star-shaped salmon-pink flowers up to 25 cm in diameter change color to soft pink with age. Yellow stamens turn fiery orange. The leaves are round and dark green. Planting depth - 1 m. Space occupied - 1 m.

N. "Andreana"

The flowers are up to 20 cm in diameter, cup-shaped, dark brick-red in color, with cream and yellow stripes. The leaves are shiny, green, with red-brown spots, up to 25 cm in diameter. Planting depth - 60 cm. Space occupied - 60 cm.

"Atropurpurea"

Dark red-purple flowers with a silky sheen float among green, round leaves up to 25 cm in diameter. Each cup-shaped flower is up to 15 cm in diameter; its petals bend inward. Planting depth - 60 cm. Space occupied - 1 m.

N. "Attraction"

These water lilies have garnet-red flowers with white spots up to 25 cm in diameter with stamens of a rich red-brown color and off-white sepals with pink. Flowers are cup-shaped or star-shaped. Green oval leaves up to 30 cm wide. Planting depth - 1.2 m. Space occupied - 1.2 m.

J.V. "Aurora"

The flowers are cup-shaped up to 7.5 cm in diameter. The buds are cream, the flowers are initially yellow, later darkening, becoming orange and then blood red. The leaves are round, dark green, with purple dots. In central Russia it blooms only in warm summers and with good feeding. Planting depth - 45 cm. Space occupied - 60 cm.

N. "Brakeleyi Rosea"

Flowers with a pleasant aroma, star-shaped, up to 15 cm in diameter, light pink when the buds open, then dark pink or almost white. The leaves are dark green, round, up to 25 cm in diameter. Planting depth - 75 cm. Space occupied - 1 m.

N. "Caroliniana Nivea"

Star-shaped white fragrant flowers up to 15 cm in diameter; green rounded leaves reach a width of 20 cm. Planting depth -75 cm. Occupied space -1m.

N. "Charles de Meurvilie"

Cup-shaped flowers up to 25 cm in diameter, over time become star-shaped and their color changes from plum with white ends of the petals and stripes on them to dark wine red. The leaves are oval, olive green, up to 30 cm long. Planting depth - 1.2 m. Space occupied - 1.5 m.

N. "Charles de Meurvilie"

N. "Colonel A. J. Welch"

Lemon-yellow star-shaped flowers up to 15 cm in diameter have a faint aroma. The leaves are round, olive green, up to 25 cm in diameter. After flowering, new plants develop instead of seeds. Planting depth -75 cm. Space occupied - 1 m.

N. "Colossea"

Fragrant cupped lilac-pink flowers up to 25 cm in diameter rise among matte green rounded leaves up to 30 cm in diameter. These are powerful, abundantly flowering plants. Planting depth - 1.2 m. Space occupied - 1.2 m.

N. "Comanche"

Cup-shaped, dark apricot to orange flowers up to 10 cm in diameter change color to bronze with age. The rounded leaves, up to 15 cm across, are purple at first, but when they open fully they turn green with purple spots. Planting depth - 60 cm. Space occupied - 1 m.

"Ellisiana"

Small wine-red star-shaped flowers with orange stamens are up to 10 cm in diameter. The leaves are oval, dark green, up to 15 cm wide. A particularly profusely flowering variety. Planting depth -45 cm. Space occupied - 60 cm.

N. "Escarboucle"

The fragrant cherry-red cupped flowers later become star-shaped and in large ponds reach 30 cm across. The leaves are round, green, up to 30 cm in diameter, often with a bronze or brown tint. Planting depth - 1.5 m. Space occupied - 1.5 m.

"Firecrest"

Star-shaped, dark pink flowers up to 10 cm across, enlivened by red-tipped stamens. The leaves are round, up to 20 cm in diameter, at first purple, later turning green. Planting depth - 60 cm. Space occupied - 1 m.

N. "Froebelii"

Dark blood-red cupped flowers up to 10 cm across open among dull purple-green rounded leaves up to 15 cm in diameter. Planting depth -60 cm. Space occupied - 1 m.

N. "Froebelii"

N. "Gloriosa"

Star-shaped, fragrant, carmine-red flowers up to 15 cm across with bright orange stamens float on the surface of the water. The dull bronze-green leaves are round, up to 15 cm in diameter. Planting depth - 60 cm. Space occupied - 1 m.

"Gonnere"

Double cupped white flowers with prominent apple-green sepals up to 15 cm in diameter. The leaves are round, bright green, up to 20 cm in diameter. Planting depth - 60 cm. Space occupied - 1 m.

"Graziella"

In summer, orange-red cup-shaped flowers bloom in large quantities, rarely exceeding 5 cm in diameter. The leaves are up to 10 cm in diameter, olive green, with brown and purple spots. Planting depth - 30 cm. Space occupied - 45 cm.

"Graziella"

N. "helvola" (syn. N. pygmaea "Helvola")

This plant blooms profusely with star-shaped yellow flowers up to 5 cm in diameter. The leaves are olive green, with purple and brown spots, oval to heart-shaped, up to 6 cm long. Quite thermophilic. In central Russia it needs special care. Planting depth - 20 cm. Space occupied - 30 cm.

"Indiana"

Apricot or orange-red cupped flowers up to 7.5 cm across become dark red over time. The rounded leaves are dark green, up to 10 cm in diameter, with many purple spots. Planting depth - 60 cm. Space occupied - 75 cm.

N. "James Brydon"

Carmine-red cup-shaped flowers up to 15 cm in diameter with the aroma of ripe apples. Dark purple-green rounded leaves up to 25 cm in diameter are often spotted with red-brown spots. Planting depth - 1 m. Space occupied - 1 m.

"Laydekeri Fulgens"

Spectacular bright red fragrant cup-shaped flowers with reddish stamens up to 8 cm in diameter. The leaves are round, dark green with a purple underside, about 15 cm wide. Planting depth - 45 cm. Space occupied - 60 cm.

N. "Laydekeri Lilacea"

Delicate pink flowers up to 8 cm in diameter gradually darken and become pink-red. Shiny green leaves up to 15 cm in diameter with rare brown spots. Planting depth -45 cm. Space occupied - 60 cm.

N. "Laydekeri Lilacea"

N. "Laydekeri Purpurata"

Cup-shaped, wine-red flowers up to 8 cm across with orange stamens. The leaves are dark green, up to 15 cm in diameter, purple underneath, often with red-brown or black spots. Planting depth - 45 cm. Space occupied - 60 cm.

N. "Laydekeri Purpurata"

N. "Madame Wilfon Gonnere"

Cup-shaped, almost double white flowers up to 15 cm in diameter, with dark pink spots and dots, with a light pink center. The leaves are round, up to 25 cm in diameter, overlapping their edges. Planting depth - 75 cm. Space occupied - 1 m.

N. "Marliacea albida"

Fragrant white flowers up to 15 cm in diameter with a pinkish tint on the underside of the petals. Round, dark green leaves up to 20 cm in diameter with red or purple undersides. Planting depth - 1 m. Space occupied - 1.2 m.

N. "Marliacea albida"

"Marliacea Cagnea" (syn. N. "Apple Blossom Pink")

Light pink flowers up to 20 cm in diameter, when fully opened, become star-shaped. The leaves are oval, dark green, up to 20 cm wide, purple when young. One of the most winter-hardy varieties for central Russia. Planting depth - 1 m. Space occupied - 1.2 m.

"Marliacea Cagnea"

"Marliacea Cliromatella"

The flowers are bright canary yellow, up to 15 cm in diameter, the leaves are olive green, up to 20 cm in diameter, with red-brown and bronze spots. In central Russia it blooms irregularly in cool summers. Planting depth - 1 m. Space occupied - 1.2 m.

N. "Masaniello"

Fragrant light pink with bright red spots, cup-shaped flowers up to 12.5 cm in diameter become dark carmine with age. The leaves are green, round, up to 20 cm in diameter. Planting depth -75 cm. Space occupied - 1 m.

"Moorei"

Delicate yellow star-shaped flowers up to 15 cm in diameter, with a light aroma. The leaves are round, up to 25 cm in diameter, pale green, sometimes with purple dots. Planting depth - 45 cm. Space occupied - 75 cm.

This plant is called a water lily after the shape of its ovary. Well, with the word lily in the name, everything is extremely simple: this word has become a collective word and means “beautiful flower.”

According to ancient myth, a nymph (i.e., a Greek mermaid) who died from unrequited love for Hercules turned into a white water lily (is this where the belief that the flower helps reciprocate feelings comes from?). The Hellenes considered the water lily a symbol of beauty and eloquence; girls decorated their heads and tunics with garlands of them. Elena the Beautiful also had such a wreath at her wedding with Menelaus, and the entrance to the newlyweds’ bedroom was decorated with water lilies

The Italian legend is even sadder. The swamp king set out to achieve marriage with the beautiful Melinda, and one day, when she admired the yellow egg pods (the Romans for some reason called her a symbol of treason and deceit), he turned into a stump from which he could reach the flower he liked, and then went under the water with the beauty. And where this happened, white flowers with a yellow core appeared on the water.

The Scandinavians, of course, could not do without elves. Their ancient legends claim that they sleep in the depths of the flower during the day, and at night, swinging the pestle like a bell tongue, they call their brothers for a conversation and ride on the water in water lily boats

The North American Indians created a legend about how two stars laid claim to an arrow shot into the sky by a dying great leader. Rushing after her, they collided, and sparks rained down from the sharp impact. Having fallen down, they fell into the water and turned into white water lilies - lilies

Since time immemorial, this flower has been an object of worship and adoration among the northwestern Germans. They called the white water lily the swan flower and revered it so much that they even depicted 7 flowers in their coat of arms. These flowers are also depicted on the Frisian banner and coat of arms of the German province of Groningen.

However, in ancient Germany they not only revered this flower, but were also a little afraid of it. Legends tell that in ponds and lakes among the water lilies there live nyxes - beauties with very sweet and friendly faces and fish tails. They lure people into the water and then drag them to the bottom. In the Black Forest, in Germany, there is even a lake named Mummelsee - from the old German die Mumme - nymph. The lake is supposedly simply overrun with these creatures...

In Slavic mythology, nymphs and nyxes were replaced by mermaids - water beauties with a pale, beautiful face, a slender figure and a braid below the knees. Mermaids, like nyxes, also love water lilies and even sometimes turn into them, which is why the white water lily is often called the “mermaid” flower.

And the week following Trinity Day was popularly called “Russian”. There is a belief that it is at this time and a little earlier - in the Orthodox calendar on the seventh (Trinity-Semitic) and eighth (the same “mermaid”) week after Easter that mermaids most often come ashore. At midnight, in the light of the moon, they dance in circles, and sometimes they climb trees and laugh, attracting the attention of young boys and girls. And bad luck will come to those who succumb to their charms - they will be tickled to death and drowned. You can protect yourself from attacks by mermaids using a talisman made of wormwood or lovage (dawn grass).

But the mermaids were not the only danger. There was a belief that where these water beauties frolic, grass grows thicker and bread ripens better. This is how the ritual of seeing off mermaids from the village to the field arose. The girl, dressed as a mermaid, was led by a crowded procession outside the outskirts, where she was pushed into the village, after which she quickly ran away to the village. Over time, this ritual turned into one of the many amusements of Semik and mermaid week - chasing mermaids.

Another mention of the water lily in Russian folklore - it was this plant that was called the famous “overcome grass.” The rhizome, hung in the house, protected against various misfortunes, and carried with you as a talisman, helped to overcome various life difficulties. It was recommended to stock up on overpowering grass before childbirth, before an important date, or when going to court.

As is known from Greek mythology, nymphs are deities of nature: forests, mountains, lakes, rivers and seas. It's no surprise that the flowers named after them are beautiful. The genus water lily, or nymphea, includes about 50 species of herbaceous aquatic perennials with fleshy rhizomes. The leaves of the nymphs are round or heart-shaped, with a deep notch at the base, floating on the surface of the water.

The flowers are large, surprisingly beautiful star-shaped or cup-shaped. They can be of all kinds of colors - white, cream, dazzling yellow, orange, pink, dark red and even blue. There are varieties with simple, semi-double and double flowers. Some of the water lilies open during the day, others at night. Some have a pleasant aroma. The fruits are berry-shaped and ripen under water.

In very swampy places, the rhizomes of some water lilies, and in particular the white water lily, are sometimes intertwined so tightly that they form “islands” on which you can even walk, they are so strong. In the rhizome of the water lily, as in other parts of the plant, there is a complex system of air channels, which can be seen even with the naked eye. These channels not only ensure the plant’s breathing, but also help the leaves stay in the water column and on its surface.

Water lilies usually bloom in northern reservoirs in June, but the maximum number of flowers can be observed in August. In the southern regions, water lilies bloom already in May. Their flowers rise from the water and bloom in the morning, and in the evening they close and go back under water. If the weather is cloudy, then the water lilies do not rise from their watery bed.